SKU: 72901676015
egusi seed plant

egusi seed plant Egusi Melon

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Description

egusi seed plant Egusi MelonEgusi is used primarily in West Africa for its de hulled seeds, which thicken soups as a flour, are a great snack whole, make a paste like peanut butter, and have a high oil content. Egusi is the name for many species of cucurbits (melons, watermelons, and gourds) whose seeds are used for this purpose. Similar to Callaloo, egusi is a category of crops based on their similar function. See the Lost Crops of Africa volume II for a short list of species

Egusi is used primarily in West Africa for its de-hulled seeds, which thicken soups as a flour, are a great snack whole, make a paste like peanut butter, and have a high oil content. Egusi is the name for many species of cucurbits (melons, watermelons, and gourds) whose seeds are used for this purpose.

Similar to Callaloo, egusi is a category of crops based on their similar function. See the Lost Crops of Africa volume II for a short list of species and lots of great info about this important seed crop. They mention that egusi is mostly grown by women, and that improvements in the promotion and sales of this seed will bring up the "egusi wage," which is defended by women farmers of all ages as their standard of living depends on it.

Egusi soup is central to many West African cuisines, and is also an offering to several Orisas (including Obatala) in Ifá religion in Nigeria and beyond. Also in Nigeria, the bitter flesh of the fruits are sometimes included in a decoction (or àgbo, in Yoruba) for various ailments or for general wellness.

We are very grateful to have sourced our seed from Serendipity Seeds, who called this variety Egusi-itoo (Cucumeropsis mannii), though we believe this may actually be another Egusi species: Brown-Seeded Melon from Nigeria (Citrullus lanatus). The seeds are fat, white, and beautiful, and according to Truelove Seeds apprentice Amirah, who requested we grow this crop, the flesh is the essence of bitterness. We are so grateful that it seemed happy in our hoop house, and excited to deepen our relationship to its seeds and its story.

Known as: Egusi, Agushi, Egusi Bara, Gusi Abara, Bitter Melon

Thank you to Yemi Amu of Oko Farms for sharing some of this information with us!

Days to maturity: 120-160

Seeds per pack: 15-18

Germination rate: 84% on 11/07/2025

Planting / harvesting notes

Direct sow in warm soil after the last frost, or seed indoors 2-3 weeks beforehand and transplant. Space 18" apart in the row. Harvest fruits before first frost, or when the attached stem withers and turns brown. Use a sledgehammer or a rock to break open fruits on a tarp. Using a knife (as shown in our photos) slices many of the seeds.

Seed keeping notes

Squash are insect pollinated and require about 1/2 a mile of isolation from other varieties of the same species, which we believe in this case to be the same as Watermelon - Citrullus lanatus.The seeds will be fully mature when the fruit gets large and the stem withers. Separate the seeds from the flesh, rinse them, and dry them on a screen or paper product away from direct sunlight in a ventilated place. The plumpest and hardest seeds will be most viable.

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SKU: 72901676015

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Rachierach
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Doberman Approved
Flavor Name: Chicken, Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
My 106lb Doberman refuses to eat anything but these and duck hearts- go figure- he does not like any type of carb, his diet consists of Taste of the Wild and boiled chicken, he gets one of these every night and wiggles his cute little butt off when he hears me getting the bag, he can hardly contain his excitement. He has NEVER had any issues of chocking or vomiting with these, I am a huge believer in sharing experiences when it comes to our fur babies, mine loves his biscuit (that's what we call it" I know it isn't a biscuit.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2020
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Verified Purchase
danaz
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Great alternative to rawhide!
Flavor Name: Chicken, Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
We have been getting these for quite some time for our black lab. He eats rawhide too quickly and ends up regurgitating it all over the floor. So, on the advice of our vet, we tried something else. We tried these after many other products. These are gone as quickly as rawhide (with my dog, that's 10 minutes... TOPS!), but he doesn't have the digestive issues. The fact that they chew up similar to rawhide is a big plus, since I don't like it when he can't finish it in one sitting - that's just a yucky mess laying around on the floor. I highly recommend these SmartBones for anyone whose dog can't digest rawhide well.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014
L
Verified Purchase
L.Whitehead
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Happy dog
Flavor Name: Chicken, Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
We have a big dog and don't like to give him rawhide products for many reasons. We came across SmartBones a couple of years ago and have bought them ever since. They work well for our dog. The challenge has been finding them in stores where we live and at a fair price. These worked.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2021
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Verified Purchase
Denaye
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
I order these a lot. They don't have rawhide ...
Flavor Name: Chicken, Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
I order these a lot. They don't have rawhide in them so that is my main reason. I have a small dog and I order a large because it then takes him about 45 mins to an hour to eat. Most of the time after he eats half I save the other half for the next day to make them last longer! He is a very active dog but these are his favorites. I also order them in small for little treats here and there (those last under 10 mins for him).
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Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2016
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Mike Rivera
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 5
Dog loves even though they are thin product dog loves them and Picks Them out of many many toys.
These were super thin and I thought about tearing a hole in them and putting in a slight bit of stuffing. However, my dog absolutely loves them and we fling them across the house and the yard like little Frisbees. They are very lightweight but kind of a corduroy stitched fabric and they have lasted quite some time and been through the washer and dryer many times and abused. Still holding up and the dog loves them. Highly recommend a great product for the price.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2026

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