Buffalo Gourd

Cucumber Family : Cucurbitaceae

Latin Name : Cucurbita foetidissima

Longevity : Perennial
Season : Warm
Origin : Native
Value : Wildlife – poor
Livestock -poor

Remarks :

Also known as "Stinking gourd" and "Missouri gourd". This
plant has an offensive odor of the leaves. Adapted to dry disturbed areas in waste places, roadsides, ditches, and fence lines of sandy or gravelly soils. Flowers May to August. Buffalo gourd produces a 3 to 4 inch round gourd with yellow and green stripes and the gourd is extremely bitter. This low growing vine can reach a length of 20 feet. The large, yellow flowers open in the mornings and are 3 to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. The root can grow to enormous proportions. It will descend 4 to 6 feet and weigh more than 100 pounds. A root weighing 178 lbs. has actually been documented! The Omaha, Osage, Ponca, and Dakota Indians attributed mystical and medicinal powers to
the root. Special care was taken when unearthing the root, for it was believed that an injury to the root would lead to injury of one self or one's family members.

Source: USDA-NRCS