Herb: Bigroot


Latin name: Marah fabaceus


Synonyms: Echinocystis fabacea


Family: Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber Family, Gourd Family)



Edible parts of Bigroot:

Used as a vegetable. We do not know if the fruit, root or the leaves are used.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial Climber


Height:
6 m
(20 feet)

Flowering:
July to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Banks and slopes below 750 metres in coastal strand and mixed evergreen forests.

Other uses of Bigroot:

The crushed seeds, mixed with oil, have been rubbed on the hair to prevent baldness.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow early spring in pots of rich soil in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 2 weeks at 20°C. Put 2 or 3 seeds in each pot and thin to the best plant. Grow on fast and plant out after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation of Bigroot:

Banks and slopes below 750 metres in coastal strand and mixed evergreen forests.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Marah fabaceus:

The root is said to be poisonous to fish. We have no reports as to whether or not it is toxic to mammals.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.