Calabash

Also known as Bottle Gourd, White-Flowered Gourd, Birdhouse Gourd, Opo Squash

Calabash vines climb vigorously up trees and trellises using branched tendrils, unfurling large soft leaves and striking white flowers that bloom primarily at dusk. Nocturnal moths pollinate the blossoms, giving way to fruits that mature into hard, waterproof shells used historically across human cultures for canteens, instruments, and birdhouses. Originating in tropical Africa, this resilient annual has spread globally through both human trade and oceanic drift of its buoyant seeds.