Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Bottle Gourd (Lauki) (Lagenaria siceraria): Cooling, light gourd that supports weight management, heart health, and stress reduction.
🔍 Quick Facts
| Common name | Bottle Gourd (Lauki) |
| Other names | Lauki, Ghiya, Dudhi (Hindi); Suraikkai (Tamil); Sorakaya (Telugu) |
| Scientific name | Lagenaria siceraria |
| Plant family | Cucurbitaceae (gourd family) |
| Size | Vigorous climbing vine |
| Native region | Africa |
| Climate | Tropical |
| Ease of growing | Fast |
| Parts used | Fruit, Leaves, Seeds |
About Bottle Gourd
Bottle gourd is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, and dried gourds were used as containers and musical instruments — the sitar and tanpura are traditionally made from them. Lauki is mild, light and about 92% water. Lauki juice is popular for weight management, but bitter lauki juice has caused serious poisonings.
Botanically known as Lagenaria siceraria, it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is native to Africa and grows best in a tropical climate. The parts most often used are the fruit, leaves and seeds.
Uses & Nutrition
Bottle Gourd is best known for:
- Weight loss
- Heart health
- Cooling agent
- Digestion
- Urinary health
How to Eat & Cook It
- Cooked as lauki sabzi, kofta, dal and raita.
- Made into lauki halwa.
- Lauki juice is drunk for weight loss and heat.
How to Grow Bottle Gourd
| ☀️ Sunlight | Full sun. |
| 💧 Watering | Regular; needs plenty of water. |
| 🪴 Soil | Rich, moist, well-drained soil. |
| 🌱 Propagation | Seeds sown directly. |
| 📅 When to plant (India) | Sow February–March or June–July. |
| 🏡 In pots / at home | Grows in large grow bags with a strong trellis or terrace pandal. |
Precautions & Safety
- Never drink bitter lauki juice — toxic cucurbitacins have caused severe illness and deaths. Taste a small piece first.
- Best eaten cooked rather than as large amounts of raw juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Written by the WhyOnPlanet editorial team · Last updated October 2026