Common Name: Achoccha

General Information

Cyclanthera pedata is an annual plant, producing stems that can be 4.5 metres or more long, perhaps up to 12 metres. The stems scramble over the ground, clambering into surrounding vegetation and supporting themselves by means of long tendrils[].
The fruit is often eaten in the tropics and the plant has a good reputation in the treatment of several disorders. The plant is widely cultivated for its fruit in the Andes of S. America and is also grown in many other areas of the tropics, especially in the Americas[]. The plant is used in some proprietary medicines and is sold on the Internet[].
The plant is considered to be a weed pest in Florida[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Original range is obscure, probably the Andes of S. America, but now widely cultivated through tropical America.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild condition.

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	4.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Achocha is a plant of the tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 3,000 metres[, ]. It can also be cultivated in the subtropics and in areas of the temperate zone that have a long, warm growing season of 4 months or more[].
Requires a very warm, sunny and sheltered position in a rich well-drained soil[].
The first harvest of fruit can take place about 3 months after planting, and can then continue for several months[].
There are many named forms[].
Plants are not very cold-hardy in Britain and are normally grown in a greenhouse. However, if the plants are started in a greenhouse in the spring and grown on well it is possible to get reasonable yields in most years outdoors in Britain. Fruiting plants have been seen outdoors on a number of occasions at Kew Botanical gardens[].

Edible Uses

Fruit. Young, immature fruits are eaten raw or cooked and have a similar taste to cucumbers though they are not crisp[, ]. Older fruits are cooked, they can be stuffed in much the same way as marrows[, ]. The fruit is about 6 - 15cm long[] and 6cm wide[].

Leaves and tender young shoots - cooked and used as greens[, ].

Medicinal

A tea made from the seeds is used in the treatment of high blood pressure[, ]. The dried and powdered seeds are taken in 1 gram doses as a remedy for intestinal parasites[]. This sort of treatment is usually followed by a laxative to make sure the parasites are removed from the body[].

The seeds and/or the fruits are recommended for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders[].

The fruits are diuretic. They are boiled in milk and gargled as a treatment for tonsillitis[]. The fruit juice is recommended as a treatment for conditions such as high blood-cholesterol levels, hypertension, tonsillitis, arteriosclerosis, circulatory problems and diabetes[].

The fruits and/or the leaves are boiled in olive oil and used externally as a topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic[].

The leaves are considered to be hypoglycaemic and are prepared in a decoction for treating diabetes[].

Research conducted in Peru has shown that the plant can lower blood-cholesterol levels in humans with one trial showing an 18.3% reduction in 12 months and other trials showing even larger reductions[].

Other Uses

The roots are used to clean the teeth[].

Propagation

Seed - sow mid spring in a rich compost in a warm greenhouse. Put 2 or 3 seeds in a pot and thin the seedlings to the strongest plant. Plant out after the last expected frost and give the plants some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away well.