Telfairia occidentalis (Fluted Pumpkin)

Botanical name: Telfairia occidentalis

Common names: Fluted Pumpkin, Oysternut, Ugu

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Origin: Africa

Extremely rare and exotic! Telfairia occidentalis will climb up to 40 ft. The flowers are white with a dark purple centre. The large, dark-red seed is rich in fat and protein, and can be eaten whole, ground into powder for another kind of soup, or made into a fermented porridge. The fruit of the plant is large, weighing up to 20 lbs.