This Sponge is Not from the Sea

After removing the peel and seeds, the ripe dried loofah is used in the bath as a scrubbing sponge.

Loofah grows much like a cucumber.  Once it reaches maturity, dry the plant and the outer skin peels away.

Recently, I mentioned the loofah sponge to two people.  Both insisted the loofah sponge was from the sea.  Not so.

This sponge is actually a gourd you grow in the garden. Once matured, the fruit can be dried and everything (skin/seeds) removed but the xylem tissues.  The sponge makes an excellent natural scrubber for the bath or kitchen.