Fluted Pumpkin Plant

Fluted Pumpkin Plant
The fluted pumpkin plant produces an edible leaves consumed as vegetables and fruit containing seeds. the plant is commonly cultivated in west Africa.
The fluted pumpkin plant is also called "Ugwu plant". In the ibibio language of the Akwaibomites, it is called "ikong ubong".
The fluted pumpkin plant is a natural source of medicine that helps stimulate blood production in the body.

Botanical Name
The botanical name for the fluted pumpkin plant is " "Telfairia occidentalis" it belongs to the family of cucurbitaceae in the plant kingdom.

Physical Appearance of fluted pumpkin plant
The plant is known to have the following:

Leaves
The leaves of the fluted pumpkin plant is green in colour as seen below. And can be used in the preparation of soup. it can also eaten with rice.

Fruits
The fruit of the fluted pumpkin plant contains edible seeds upto 200 in number. The seed of the fluted pumpkin plant is proteinous and also contains fat and oil.

Cultivation of Fluted Pumpkin Plant

Fluted Pumpkin plant is cultivated through the seeds.
it is grows in fertile soil rich in plant nutrients. Two seeds can be planted in a bed.it take upto 3 months for the plant to grow from seeds into a matured one.

Growth aids for the Fluted Pumpkin Plant.
To speed up growth of the plant, the following practices are necessary.

Weeding practices is carried out. this helps remove unwanted plant such as weed due to its competiitive nature for nutrients.
Use of Natural fertilizers
Natural fertilizers such as goat dung, cow dung and poultry droppings helps to increase fertility contents of the soil.

Economic Importance of Fluted Pumpkin plant.
The plant is important as seen in the following ways;

The seed is a good source of protein to the body - proteins helps to build the body worn out tissues. The seeds also contains oil which can be extracted to cure aneamia.

Fluted pumpkin plant leaves and seeds can be sold to generate income. it's leaves are sold for NGN150 Nigerian currency.
The leaves of the fluted Pumpkin Plant is known to be a source of blood tonic In the body.
It also helps In prevention of cardio vascular diseases.