Gourds: Edible or Not?

[bluelacedredhead]

What makes a Gourd edible? Or Not??

Is there a rule of thumb?
Is the family a clue, such as Lagenaria are strictly ornamental?

This subject came up because I have a small patch of Ornamental mix gourds that are mostly Turk's Turban types. Upon questioning this, I was informed by Flowerpower that yes, Turk's Turban was both considered an edible squash as well as an ornamental gourd.
And there are gourds from Thailand being sold by Baker Creek that are edible.

Is it a scientific process to determine whether a gourd is edible or not? Or merely a matter of reading up on the family name.

Or is it more like the early days of the tomato where folks assumed that all parts of the tomato plant were poisonous because someone ate the foliage instead of the fruit??

[Alan]

somehow I missed this question before, but I truly, really hope someone can answer it, because now I will be wondering the same thing.
Any Help?
-Alan

[lavandulagirl]

Here's a site I have bookmarked that mentions a couple that are edible, including the turk's cap. I think most are avoided once they mature. edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV073

[flowerpower]

I don't think I've heard of anyone eating Lagenaria, even small ones. They might not be tasty. I know BH gourds are fuzzy when they are small.

I would think anything that is C. Maxima, C.Pepo, or C. Moschata is edible. I know that Pattypan squash can be picked immature and used like a summer sqaush. But in the fall, it is used as decoration and you can roast it. There would be nothing left of some of the small ornamental gourds after you peeled and deseeded them. But I grow one called "Goblin" and it is the size of a small pumpkin. I have cooked that and fed it to the pigs and chickens. They have a sort of bland taste. I think the sugar content is low.

[Alan]

Patty pans are great as summer squash and highly underrated, I have been pushing them hard at the marketts around here the past three years, I haven't baked them yet, but I have customers who only want the large ones for that reason and love them for that reason.
-Alan