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The '''winter melon'''==Parts Used=={{Parts Used|Flowers}}, also called '''ash gourd{{Parts Used|Fruits}}, white gourd, winter gourd, tallow gourd''' '''Chinese preserving melon'''<ref name="int"/> is a vine grown for its very large fruit{{Parts Used|Leaves}}, eaten as a vegetable when mature{{Parts Used|Seeds}}.

==Chemical Composition==It is the only member of the genus Benincasacontains Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 4mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.11mg; Niacin: 0. The fruit is fuzzy when young4mg; B6: 0mg; C: 13mg. The immature melon has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. By maturityfruits contain lupeol, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourdbeta-sitosterol, their acetates and providing a long shelf life. The melon may grow as large as 80 cm in length. Although the fruit is referred to as a "melon," the fully grown crop is not sweet. Native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, the winter melon is widely grown throughout Asiaseveral amino acids.<ref name="int2chemical composition"/>

== Uses Common names=={{Common names|kn=Boodagumbala, Boodu gumbala|ml=Kumbalanga|sa=Kushmanda|ta=Neer poosanikai, Pooshnikai|te=boarda goomoodoo, boodida gummadi|hi=Pethaa|en=Ash gourd, Ash pumpkin}}

*The winter melon requires very warm weather to grow but can be stored for many months much like winter squash. Ash gourds of the Indian subcontinent have a white coating with rough texture. South East Asian varieties have a smooth waxy texture. ==Properties==*In Vietnamese cuisineReference: Dravya - Substance, it is called bí đaoRasa - Taste, which is usually used to make soup or stew. When cooked with pork short ribsGuna - Qualities, the resulting soup is traditionally thought to help produce more milk for breastfeeding mothers.*In Indian cuisine the vegetable is traditionally used to prepare a wide variety of dishes. In northern India it is used to prepare a candy called Petha. In South Indian cuisineVeerya - Potency, it is traditionally used to make a variety of curriesVipaka - Post-digesion effect, including a liquefied dish with curds or buttermilk.*It is used to produce a fruit drink with a very distinctive taste. It is usually sweetened with caramelized sugar. In Southeast AsiaKarma - Pharmacological activity, the drink is widely marketed as winter melon tea or winter melon punchPrabhava - Therepeutics.*The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of the plant may also be eaten as greens.===Dravya===

==Common name=Rasa===Madhura (Sweet)===Guna===Laghu (Light), Snigda (Unctuous)===Veerya===Sheeta (Cold)===Vipaka===Madhura (Sweet)===Karma===Kpha, Pitta===Prabhava===

==Identification=====Leaf==={{Leaf|Simple|Roundish|White gourd is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable}}<ref name="Leaf"/> ===Flower==={{Flower|Unisexual|5-15 cm long|Yellow|5-20|Densely hairy, lobes lanceolate, acute, 6-12 mm long}} ===Fruit==={{Fruit|Fuzzy|7–10 mm (0.28–0.4 in.) long pome|The fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating|Its very large fruit with hooked hairs|Many}} ===Other features=== ==List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used==* [[Kushmanda rasayana]] * [[Sri gopal taila]] <ref name="Ayurvedic preparations"/> ==Where to get the saplings====Mode of Propagation=={{Propagation|Seeds}}, {{Propagation|Cuttings}}. ==How to plant/cultivate==Benincasa hispida is a plant of the tropics, and is also cultivated in the subtropics.<ref name="How to plant/cultivate"/> ==Season to grow==May - June.<ref name="Season to grow"/> ==Required Ecosystem/Climate==This annual vine can easily be grown from seed. It is best grown in fertile, organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained loams in full sun.<ref name="Required Ecosystem/Climate"/> ==Kind of soil needed==Requires a warm sunny position in a rich well-drained soil. ==Commonly seen growing in areas=={{Commonly seen|Tall grasslands}}, {{Commonly seen|Meadows}}, {{Commonly seen|Borders of forests and fields}}. ==Photo Gallery==<gallery class="left" caption="" widths="140px" heights="140px">83 - CIMG0864.jpg|FruitsBenincasa hispida (kumbalam) flower.jpg|FlowersWinter Melon Flower.jpg|BudWinter Melon.jpg|Stem</gallery> == References == <references> <referencesref name="chemical composition">[http://gbpihedenvis.nic.in/PDFs/Glossary_Medicinal_Plants_Springer.pdf Chemical composition]</ref><ref name="intLeaf">[http://www.plantnamesflowersofindia.unimelbnet/catalog/slides/White%20Gourd.eduhtml Flowers description]</ref><ref name="Ayurvedic preparations">[https://easyayurveda.aucom/2013/01/31/winter-melon-health-benefits-medicinal-use-side-effects-ayurveda/ Ayurvedic preparations]</ref><ref name="How to plant/cultivate">[http:/Sorting/tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Benincasa+hispida Cultivation Details]</ref> <ref name="Season to grow">[https://pfaf.html "Multilingual Multiscript org/user/Plant Name Database".aspx?LatinName=Benincasa+hispida Season to grow]</ref> <ref name="int2Required Ecosystem/Climate">[http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e457Required Ecosystem/Climate]</ref>

== External Links ==* [http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e457 Benincasa hispida on missouribotanicalgarden]* [http://www.planetayurveda.com/library/kushmanda-benincasa-hispida Benincasa hispida on planet ayurveda]* [http://www.himalayawellness.com/herbfinder/benincasa-hispida.htm Ash Gourd, Wax Gourd, White Gourd, White Pumpkin]*[https://enwww.wikipediabritannica.orgcom/wikiplant/Winter_melon Winter melonwax-gourd Benincasa hispida encyclopedea britanicca]