Plants · La Saladita, Guerrero

sponge cucumber

Luffa operculata

Spanish: Calabaza estropajo

sponge cucumber (Luffa operculata)
Photographed by sosar on iNaturalist

Luffa operculata (common name, sponge cucumber, wild loofa or mướp xơ in Vietnamese) is a species of Luffa. It is cultivated for its fruit, which when fully ripe is strongly fibrous and is used as a fibrous scrubbing sponge for household cleaning. The fruit is a capsule with spikes. The fruit is dark-brown when mature. It is also grown in gardens and yards as an ornamental plant. In colder places they can be grown indoors as... Most often recorded in Aug.

TaxonomyMagnoliopsida › Cucurbitales › Cucurbitaceae
Local records1 research-grade observation within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records92 on iNaturalist
Recorded here2023 – 2023
Months recorded near La Saladita
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Plants guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “sponge cucumber (Luffa operculata) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/luffa-operculata/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.