Caigua
Caigua is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Caigua (pronounced kai-wa) is an ancient crop from the Andes. The young fruits are eaten raw in salads or pickled, the flavour is similar to cucumber. The older hollow fruits can be cooked in stir-fries or stuffed after removing the hard, black seeds. The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens. The vines fruit prolifically and need a good-sized trellis. It is easy-to-grow, hardy and disease resistant. It is the same species but a much smaller form than Cucumber 'Giant Bolivian'. Days to harvest: 100 days.
Product: Caigua
Product type: SEED (150)
Botanical name: Cyclanthera pedata
Syn.: Syn. Bolivian cucumber, achocha, korila.
Syn. Bolivian cucumber (pronounced kai-wa) is an ancient crop from the Andes. The young fruits are eaten raw in salads or pickled; the flavour is similar to cucumber. The older hollow fruits can be cooked in stirfries or stuffed after removing the hard, black seeds. The young shoots and leaves may be eaten as greens. The vines fruit prolifically and need a good-sized trellis. It is easy-to-grow, hardy and disease resistant.
Plant type: Frost tender annual vine
Plant height: 2m, needs a trellis
Sow when: Germinate best at 23 - 25°C soil temp.
Temperate: Early spring, needs a long growing season, start indoors
Subtropical: Spring to early autumn
Tropical: Dry season
Germination: 7 - 14 days
Depth: 5 - 10 mm deep
Position: Full Sun
Sow where: Direct into soil at the base of the trellis or in cooler areas pot on until conditions are warm
Soil type: Fertile, well drained, pH 6.6 - 7.5
Rows: 30 cm apart
Details: 100 days: Pick the green fruit when young, 3 - 7 cm long.
Suitable for hot and humid: Suitable for hot and humid growing conditions
150 seeds per packet
Cyclanthera pedata
Syn. Bolivian cucumber, achocha, korila.
Frost tender annual vine
Caigua
Caigua (pronounced kai-wa) is an ancient crop from the Andes. The young fruits are eaten raw in salads or pickled, the flavour is similar to cucumber. The older hollow fruits can be cooked in stir-fries or stuffed after removing the hard, black seeds. The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens. The vines fruit prolifically and need a good-sized trellis. It is easy-to-grow, hardy and disease resistant. It is the same species but a much smaller form than Cucumber 'Giant Bolivian'. Days to harvest: 100 days.