Have you ever used a luffa in the shower or bathtub? You know, the little scrubby thing that comes in a variety of sizes and colors? Well, did you know that it actually comes from a plant grown right here in North Carolina, as well as other parts of the world?
A luffa is a vining plant that can be used in the kitchen directly after harvest, or in the shower once overripened. In other parts of the world, like China, luffas are a staple commodity, much like cabbage or lettuce in our state. In 2020, Lisa Xu moved from China to North Carolina with her family and started a home garden to grow her own vegetables. Coming from China, luffas were a must have vegetable in the garden. “Luffas are hard to find in North Carolina, especially ones that are fresh and in-season,” she said. “My family and I eat a lot of them, so growing them at home was a no-brainer.” In addition to five luffa varieties, Lisa and her family grow both summer and winter vegetables, including cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, kale, chard and bok choy.
Typically, luffas are purchased as seeds and planted outside, normally on trellises. The Shen family, however, starts their own seeds by placing them in starter trays. “Each year, we harvest seeds from the biggest luffas to use the following year as starter seeds,” explained Lisa’s son, Luting Shen. “We place the seeds in starter trays and allow them to grow until they are ready for transplant into the garden.” Much like cucumbers, luffas grow up trellises, creating a beautiful display of agriculture throughout the growing season. In fact, at the Shen household, these trellises form the shape of an arch that the family can walk under and examine. “It’s beautiful to walk under as the luffas grow because we can really see the vegetable from start to finish,” Lisa said. “It also makes it easier to check them every day and ensure they have all the nutrients they need.” The luffa plant is a fast grower, meaning it can overcrowd on the vine easily. “Luffa vines can easily grow up to a foot per day, so we have to space the seeds out thoroughly when planting to ensure the vines don’t become overcrowded,” said Luting. When they are ready to be harvested, luffas will present a deep green or brown coloring, and their skin will feel very soft.
When harvesting the luffa fruit, simply take it off the vine in much the same way that you would a squash or cucumber. Lisa and her family harvest anywhere from 150 to 200 luffas in their home garden each year! “If you plan to use them in the kitchen, be sure to do so directly after harvest, or freeze them,” she said. “We like to use ours in a variety of ways, like stir fry.” While ripe luffas are delicious in the kitchen, old luffas are better used to make shower scrubbers.
This past October, Luting made history with one of his luffas by claiming the World Record at the N.C. State Fair! Weighing in at 11 pounds and 3.3 ounces, this luffa beat its previous competitor by over five pounds! “Last year was an abnormal growing year for our luffas, which may have contributed to the size of our world record winner,” Luting said. “While most luffas start growing in July or August, our luffas stayed dormant until September and then took off at an astronomical growing rate.” As they started to grow, Luting noticed four luffas that showed promise to break the record. One in particular, the luffa that won, was growing two to three inches per day, which is extremely fast. “In addition to taking proper care of them by giving them the proper amount of water and nutrients, we also play classical music for our luffas and tell them traditional Chinese stories that help them grow,” Luting said. “Research has shown that when they hear good, positive things, the luffas will grow bigger and stronger. I believe both of these things helped our World Record luffa reach its potential.”
The Shen family has been exhibiting luffas at the N.C. State Fair for three years, and actually broke the world record in 2023 as well. “When we harvested our luffas last year, we were extremely anxious to weigh the biggest ones,” Luting said. “We knew that our luffa was big, but we had no idea it would nearly double the current world record!” Although they only exhibited the largest luffa last year at the N.C. State Fair, they did have three other luffas from their crop that broke the world record. Their World Record luffa was showcased all eleven days of the 2025 N.C. State Fair in the Agri Supply Expo building.
Be sure to look for Luting Shen’s luffas at the N.C. State Fair this year and keep an eye out on the world record. “We would love to break our own record again and shine the spotlight on N.C. Agriculture through this incredible vegetable,” Luting said. “However, it’s never a sure thing due to a plethora of factors outside our control. We will certainly continue to exhibit luffas at the N.C. State Fair and help teach others about their purpose in the industry.” We look forward to seeing this fun and unique specialty crop continue to grow and expand across our state in the years to come!