Common Name: Ivy Gourd

General Information

Coccinia grandis is a perennial climbing plant producing stems up to 20 metres long from a tuberous rootstock. It clambers over other plants, supporting itself by means of tendrils. Young stems are annual and herbaceous, but can become perennial and woody with time[].
The plant is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit and also its medicinal uses in tropical and sub-tropical zones, especially in India, Malaysia and Indonesia[, , , ]. The plant is sold in local markets, and is also sometimes exported to speciality markets[]. There are some named varieties[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Drier parts of tropical Africa from Senegal to Somalia; Arabian Peninsula to India, Sri Lanka, China, Indo-China to Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia.

Habitat

Deciduous bush, savannah, dry evergreen forest and thickets[]. Moist neglected places, especially on hedges, to elevations of 1,400 metres in Nepal[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most soils[] but prefers a sunny sheltered position in a humus-rich open sandy soil[, ]. Dislikes clay soils[]. Keep the plant well watered in the growing season[].
The plant has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in several areas. A noxious vine, it smothers vegetation and other objects forming a dense canopy. It acts as a host for melon fly and is a reservoir for other crop pests possibly including ring spot virus. It has become invasive in Guam, Saipan and Hawaii, where it is a severe pest in gardens, on utility poles, roadsides, and in natural areas[].
A dioecious plant, both male and female forms must be grown if seed and fruits are required.

Edible Uses

Young leaves and long slender stem tops - cooked and eaten as a potherb or added to soups[, , , , , ].

Young and tender green fruits - raw in salads or cooked and added to curries etc[, , , , , ].
Ripe scarlet fruit - raw. Fleshy and sweet[]. The pulp of fully ripe fruits is creamy with an agreeable slightly acid flavour[]. The fruit is up to 5cm long[]. The smooth and thin-skinned fruit turns red when fully ripe, It is egg shaped, up to 6cm long and 3.5cm wide[].

Medicinal

The juice of the roots and leaves is considered to be a useful treatment for diabetes[, ].

The juice of the stem is dripped into the eyes to treat cataracts[].
The fruit has sometimes been used as an eye-medicine[].

An infusion of the leaves is given to women to drink when a birth is overdue[]. A decoction is drunk in the treatment of gonorrhoea[].
The leaves are used externally as a poultice in treating skin eruptions[, ].

The plant is laxative[]. It is used internally in the treatment of gonorrhoea[]. A decoction of the plant is used to treat chest colds[].
The plant is crushed and applied externally to affected areas in order to relieve the pain of headache and rheumatism[].


Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plant have shown hypoglycaemic principles[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ or in containers. When using containers, place 2 - 3 seeds in each pot. The seed usually germinates within 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c[]. Thin to the best seedling in each pot and grow them on fast, giving occasional liquid feeds. Plant out when 12 - 15cm tall.
Stem cuttings, 12 - 15cm long, can be planted in situ so long as they are not allowed to become dry whilst they are rooting[].

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