How Do You Grow Achocha?
January 2, 2023
Another odd-sounding plant, but trust us - it’s an amazing vegetable to add to your home garden! This plant comes from South America and is a cross between a minty cucumber and a green pepper. It is popularly known as slipper gourd or wild cucumber and is part of the cucurbit family. Many believe this vegetable is native to Peru, Bolivia, and the Incas but was first cultivated in South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
The Atocha (Cyclanthera pedata) plant produces small, cucumber-like fruits with a fresh flavor - a combined taste of mint, cucumber, and green peppers. The young fruits are delicious and mostly consumed raw - added to salads and juices. When mature, the fruits become hollow with seeds in the center - just like a green pepper! When growing Achocha, you can start sowing them indoors and start transplanting after frost. These vegetables like warm and humid climates so it's best to plant these between spring and summer. As it starts to mature, you can support these vegetables with nets or trellises.
