Benincasa fistulosa
Origin: Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Improvement status: Landrace
Seeds per packet: ~12
BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED
Life cycle: Annual
Also called "Indian squash," "Indian baby pumpkin," and "apple gourd," tindas are apple-sized fruits that grow on an annual cucurbit vine and are a popular staple vegetable across many parts of South Asia. Tindas are generally eaten when still immature, similar to zucchini, before the seeds inside fully develop. But like squash, the seeds are also edible and popular as a snack after roasting.
This particular tinda comes from Rawalpindi in northern Pakistan (in the northern part of Punjab province). It has relatively dark skin compared to other varieties. All tindas are green, and they're quite fuzzy when small, but the fuzz starts to disappear as they mature. The tinda plant is a sprawling vine, with some tendency for climbing, but does not require a trellis. It can be grown and will mature pretty much anywhere zucchini will grow (that is, pretty much everywhere).
Our original seedstock came from the USDA's National Plant Germplasm System. It was collected in 1954 from a market in Rawalpindi. These seeds were grown by EFN co-founder Nate Kleinman at the Deitrichs' farm outside Elmer, NJ.
GROWING TIPS: Grow as you would a cucumber or melon.
