Snake gourd (Trichosanthes cucumerina), also called serpent gourd, rapid-growing vine of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), cultivated for its oddly shaped edible fruits. The snake gourd is native to southeastern Asia and Australia and is also grown in parts of tropical Africa. The whole fruit is eaten as a vegetable when young and can be dried and used as soap. The leaves and shoots are also edible, and the pulp of mature fruits is sometimes eaten as a tomato substitute. It is called snake gourd due to its unusual shape which is 40 and 120 cm long.

Snake gourd