Hummingbird melotria

Melotria, which is also called the African cucumber, belongs to the pumpkin family. Mostly grows in the tropics, but with proper care, can be grown in our latitudes. This is an annual herbaceous plant, the length of the branches of which reaches 3 m. Due to its attractive appearance, feline is grown both for food and decorative purposes. Often used for gardening hedge.

The fruits of the plant resemble small cucumbers, rounded and shortened forms, saturated green color. According to gardeners, one of the advantages of fines is that the plant develops quickly and gives a good harvest for a long time. However, this result will be obtained only if there are favorable growing conditions.

Melotria: what is it?

The fruits of African cucumber have a unique taste. In the process of maturation, they acquire a rich green color with light stripes. The size of the fruit is not more than 2.5 cm. It is necessary to collect mini cucumbers while they are still small, since there will be a lot of grains in large fruits.

In almost all cases, the fruits of the plant are eaten exactly in raw form, added to salads, can be salted, pickled, as simple cucumbers. To make the fries more tasty, it is recommended to add a small amount of simple hot pepper during pickling. African cucumber goes well with a variety of fish, vegetable and meat dishes.

Melotria contains valuable fiber. It is this substance that contributes to the accelerated and completely safe removal from the human body of not only slags, but also bad cholesterol, which is very dangerous for health. This property has made the fruit not only effective, but also a completely natural remedy, which helps to get rid of constipation, even if they have become chronic.

Metotria is widely used in cooking, and can be used as a fruit, and the tubers of the plant (appearance resemble sweet potato). The roots themselves have a very interesting taste, which resembles the radishes and the usual cucumbers.

It is widely used in folk medicine, as the composition of the vegetable includes a loud amount of valuable substances and minerals. It is useful to use the feline during the course of treatment of various diseases.

Despite the mass of positive properties, the use of flesh has certain prohibitions. Fruits can cause serious harm to health if the level of acidity of the gastric juice is increased. In various diseases of the kidneys, as well as the liver, it is worth refusing pickled or salted African cucumbers. You can not use the melodria in the presence of various problems in the work of the cardiovascular system and malfunctions associated with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. African cucumber is strictly contraindicated in gastritis and gastric ulcer.

Melotria: photo

Metotria is widely grown as an ornamental plant, both in household plots and on balconies in hanging flower pots. Externally, the African cucumber is very beautiful, with yellow flowers, and its leaves remain green until the frost, which makes it so popular among not only experienced gardeners, but also beginners. Among the advantages of feline is the fact that it is very resistant to various pests and diseases, and therefore does not require complex care. Simply plant the plant in a warm place, water it periodically, trim the stems (if used as an ornamental plant), and collect fruits that are very tasty and beneficial to the body.