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 The '''winter melon''', also called '''ash gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, tallow gourd''' '''Chinese preserving melon''' is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is the only member of the genus Benincasa. The fruit is fuzzy when young. The immature melon has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. By maturity, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourd, 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 Asia. 

{{Uses|summer Summer fevers}}, {{Uses|painful Painful wounds}}, {{Uses|vaginal Vaginal discharges}}, {{Uses|coughsCough}}, {{Uses|intestinal Intestinal abscesses}}, {{Uses|excessive Excess thirst}}, {{Uses|epilepsyEpilepsy}}, {{Uses|gonorrhoeaGonorrhoea}}, {{Uses|nervous Nervous diseases}}

{{Parts Used|Flowers}}, {{Parts Used|fruitsFruits}}, {{Parts Used|Leaves}}, {{Parts Used|Seeds}}.

It contains Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 4mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.11mg; Niacin: 0.4mg; B6: 0mg; C: 13mg;. The fruits contain lupeol, beta-sitosterol, their acetates and several amino acids.<ref name="chemical composition"/>

{{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}}

{{Leaf|Simple|roundishRoundish|White gourd is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable}}<ref name="Leaf"/>

{{Flower|Unisexual|5-15 cm long|Yellow|5-20|densely Densely hairy, lobes lanceolate, acute, 6-12 mm long. Petals spreading, blunt, but ending in a short point}}

{{Fruit|fuzzyFuzzy|7–10 mm (0.28–0.4 in.) long pome|the The fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating|its Its very large fruitWith fruit with hooked hairs|manyMany}}

* [[Vishatinduka TailaKushmanda rasayana]] as ''root juice extract''* [[Sri gopal taila]] <ref name="Ayurvedic preparations"/>

{{Commonly seen|Tall grasslands}}, {{Commonly seen|meadowsMeadows}}, {{Commonly seen|Borders of forests and fields}}.

83 - CIMG0864.jpg  |FruitsBenincasa hispida (kumbalam) flower.jpg  |FlowersWinter Melon Flower 2.jpg  |BudWinter Melon Flower.jpg  Winter Melon.jpg|Stem

<ref name="chemical composition">[http://gbpihedenvis.nic.in/PDFs/Glossary_Medicinal_Plants_Springer.pdf Chemical composition]</ref><ref name="Leaf">[http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/White%20Gourd.html Flowers description]</ref><ref name="Ayurvedic preparations">[https://pfafeasyayurveda.orgcom/2013/01/31/winter-melon-health-benefits-medicinal-use-side-effects-ayurveda/ Ayurvedic preparations]</ref><ref name="How to plant/cultivate">[http:/user/Planttropical.theferns.aspxinfo/viewtropical.php?LatinNameid=Benincasa+hispida "Composition"Cultivation Details]</ref>

<ref name="LeafSeason to grow">[httphttps://wwwpfaf.flowersofindia.net/catalogorg/slidesuser/White%20GourdPlant.html "flowers description"aspx?LatinName=Benincasa+hispida Season to grow]</ref>

<ref name="How to plantRequired Ecosystem/cultivateClimate">[http://tropicalwww.thefernsmissouribotanicalgarden.infoorg/viewtropicalPlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.phpaspx?idkempercode=Benincasa+hispida "Cultivation Details"e457 Required Ecosystem/Climate]</ref>