Has anyone grown !nara?

[castanea]

I can't find anyone in North America who has been able to get seed, but it is a fascinating cucurbit, Acanthosicyos horridus. It can probably only be grown outdoors in zone 9 or 10, but some European and Japanese researchers have grown it in greenhouses. It is apparently one of the most challenging plants in the world to grow, which should make me lose interest but is unfortunately having the opposite effect.

www.namibweb.com/nara.htm

www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_nara_plant.html

lh5.ggpht.com/_LzLZYjIPpOQ/RvYF_Y5ppCI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/p5LzFxepu7U/IMG_0369.JPG

www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-400.html

I did try to grow the closely related Acanthosicyos naudinianus this last year. I got germination but they died soon after and I don't know why.

[raymondo]

Looks interesting but it would never grow where I live.

[castanea]

Probably not, but it might do OK over on the coast.