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Cucurbita digitata - A. Gray

Common Name Coyote Gourd
Family Cucurbitaceae
USDA hardiness 10-12
Known Hazards Some reports the fruit pulp is poisonous.
Habitats Found in sandy alluvial soil of washes and valleys or on dry plains and mesas; 5,000 ft (1524 m).
Range Native to northern Baja California at higher elevations, northern Sonora, Mexico, southern Arizona, and southwestern New Mexico.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Cucurbita digitata Coyote Gourd


edibleplants.org
Cucurbita digitata Coyote Gourd
wikimedia.org Katja Schulz

 

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Summary

Cucurbita digitata is a prostrate vine with a deep root found in hot, arid regions with low rainfall. It is one of only a few xerophyte species in the genus Cucurbita. As a Carbon Farming Solutions plant it is a good protein-oil staple Crop; each white seed is about 35% protein and 50% fat.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Cucurbita digitata is an evergreen Perennial growing to 5 m (16ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Oil  Seed
Edible Uses: Oil

Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: protein-oil (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world) [1-1]. The fruit is bitter and generally not edible. The fruit is a dark green squash, rounded or nearly rounded, with mottling and distinct white stripes. A few animals may eat the flesh while trying to get at the seeds. Each white seed is about a centimeter long and at 35% protein and 50% fat is a nutritious food.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None Known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Oil

Seed oil is made from a number of plants in the Cucurbita genus. For example, Buffalo gourd oil is a seed oil, extracted from the seeds of the Cucurbita foetidissima. The seeds of the Buffalo gourd are rich in oil and protein, and were used by American Indians to make soap. The oil's fatty acid composition is dominated by linoleic acid (64.5%) and oleic acid (17.1%).[

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Management: Standard  New Crop  Staple Crop: Protein-oil

Climate: subtropical. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. A hairy vining plant similar in appearance to its close relative Cucurbita palmata but the lobes of its leaves are usually more slender. It is a prostrate vine, rarely climbing, with a deep root and slender branches. These species form the only restricted xerophyte species group in the genus Cucurbita. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: new crop. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].

Carbon Farming

  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • New Crop  Most new crops were important wild plants until recently, although some are the result of hybridization. They have been developed in the last few, decades. What they have in common is that they are currently cultivated by farmers. Examples include baobab, argan, and buffalo gourd.
  • Staple Crop: Protein-oil  (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Calabacillo, Menoncillo, chichi coyota, chichicayote, meloncillo, melón de coyote, calabaza amarga, calabacilla, Finger-Leaf Gourd, fingerleaf gourd, finger-leafed gourd, coyote gourd, Bitter squash.

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: United States, New Mexico (southwest), Arizona (south), California (south), Mexico, Baja (north), Chihuahua, Sonora (northwest),

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

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Cucumis melo chitoOrange MelonAnnual Climber1.5 9-11  LMHNM32 
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Cucumis melo flexuosusSerpent MelonAnnual Climber1.5 9-11  LMHNM42 
Cucumis melo inodorusHoneydew MelonAnnual Climber1.5 9-11  LMHNM42 
Cucumis melo momordicaSnap MelonAnnual Climber1.5 9-11  LMHNM42 
Cucumis metuliferusHorned Cucumber, African horned cucumberAnnual Climber1.5 9-11  LMHNM221
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Cucurbita foetidissimaBuffalo Gourd, Missouri gourdPerennial Climber6.0 6-11 FLMHSNDM322
Cucurbita maximaWinter SquashAnnual Climber0.6 2-11 FLMHSNM532
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Cyclanthera pedataAchocha, Caihua, Caygua, Cayua, Korila, Wild CucumberAnnual4.5 9-11 FLMHSNM341
Ecballium elateriumSquirting CucumberPerennial0.3 8-11  LMHNDM02 
Echinocystis lobataWild CucumberAnnual8.0 0-0 FLMHNM011
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Author

A. Gray

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