Topic: APB: Queen Annes Pocket Gourd

[Stormbringer]

For those on the west coast:  

My mom has requested for me to find a source for a gourd that grows in your area that is designated a nuisance. It grows wild in your area. It is a nuisance because it is cross fertile with melons, honeydews, cantelopes and the like. However it is extremely fragrant and in victorian  times it was carried by women for its strong perfumey scent. It is called a queen annes pocket gourd. It also has a jewish name which is the proper taxonomy as it is originally from the holy land. I have misplaced my research notes with the name but could web search it if needed

Could you (West Coast Dwelling people) see if there are any around in your area? They grow wild along ditches and railroad tracks and there are probably people who still have some in thier yards despite its nuissance status and melon "peril". It cannot be ordered commercially because of it's nuisance classification. I'm not asking you to go to unusual lengths to help but if you find a source could you get some dried seeds for me to give to my mom? I gourd's worth of seed should do.  I'd appreciate it a lot if you'd check it out for me. Thanks in advance.
 

[Stormbringer]

Smelly gourd bump!

[Soreyes]

We have some growing over here by where I work. As you said they are in a ditch.  Right now they are very small, I would give them about another month before they are large enuff to give off any type of smell.

Reread you first post    .... I'll bust one open in the morning to check out if the seeds mature enuff to send you.

[Stormbringer]

I can do a web search and find urls for visual identification if you need it to verify it is not another type of gourd. As I recall the web search was rather slow becuase it was some many pages of urls before I found any relevant data the last time. This is why I was reluctant about finding the taxonomic name of the plant.  

[SL-Punisher]

I have no idea on how to identify said gourd. Can you provide some nifty pictures?

[Stormbringer]

I will have to research and get back to you. My info is lost. As I recall though the data is buried many many pages into google search. Right now all I can say is it smelled so perfumey that women used to carry them around in thier clothes as a type of perfume hence the name. Other than that it's primary non latin name derives from it's origine in  Israel and the surrounds.

[Sirgod]

you have a Mom?   I thought you where a Robot.  

Seriously, I have an Aunt from Cali who knows alot about Plant's etc. If you could give me something I could show her, I'm sure I could come up with something. Of course she lived around the San Jose area for along time, So If It's more Native to N. Cali, I may not be able to do much. But I'll try.

Stephen

[Stormbringer]

Sirgod, Punisher and Sore Eyes, here is a link to photos. There is a link with extensive info including why it is considered a pest in california and places where it may be found, for example Imperial Valley. The search was easier than I remembered. One page to find the scientific name (it includes the hebrew) and then following three links to find a good page on the plant in california.  

 Melon wanted posters

[Sirgod]

Would you be so kind as to Place the link in your post old friend?  

Stephen

[Stormbringer]

 Smelly outlaw melon

D'oh! Thats the second time I've done that concerning a link I meant to post.

[Sirgod]

Don't sweat It Jerry, I've done that more times then I can count.

Stephen

[Stormbringer]

The web page even includes a county map of cali that show where the plant has been found (as an infestation.) I do not think thewmap includes naturally balanced occurences of the plant. So the distribution may be somewhat more than the map shows. It shos an area in central coastal area and two areas in the south california area.

[Soreyes]

Hmmmmm i busted open one of the Gords and found no seeds.  I just checked out the picture that you posted, and the gord that I opened was not what you were looking for. I'll keep an eye out for the Queen annes

[Stormbringer]

it probably wouldn't unless it was left over from last year. The page said it is matured  later in the year. Thanks for looking though.

[SL-Punisher]

https://www.heirloomseeds.com/secure/ordrfrm-2.html

check out #680 on the list. Gourd same as mellon?

[Sirgod]

I checked with My aunt , Jerry, and she seems to recall them. She's going to ask a few friends she has in CA. to check If they have some around there area.

stephen

[Stormbringer]

Yes. My mom said it was a gourd. The websites call it a mellon and it is considered noxious because it is an ancestor of and crossbreedable to domestic mellons. The crossbreeding of which ruins a crop of commercial mellons and seed stock.  

[Stormbringer]

That is an excellent plant and flower site thanks for sharing it.


Yes. The mellon you identified is the gourd my mom asked for. Here is a description from the web page you provided:


680 - QUEEN ANNE?S POCKET MELON  85-90 days ? This Victorian favorite was grown not for its edibility, but rather for its aroma!  The small, 3 ½ x 2 ½ diameter fruits are extremely fragrant and were carried by women for its perfume-like qualities.  The white flesh is edible, but rather tasteless.
PKT. ? 20 seeds - $1.25
 

[Stormbringer]

Punisher found a sitethat has 20 prepared seeds for a dollar twenty five. That is less than the effort  it would take your aunt to collect them, I think.

[SL-Punisher]

I guess all internet commerce isn't all porno and Ebay  

Oh btw: make sure they ship those seeds in a unmarked plain brown paper box