We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

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

 

Translate this page:

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

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

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

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

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

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].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

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).

Shop Now

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 Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Mexico, North America, USA

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

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Cucurbita digitataCoyote GourdPerennial5.0 10-12 MLMHNDM303

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.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

A. Gray

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Cucurbita_digitata  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.