• You can grow your own gourds from seed for unusual autumnal decorations.gourd image by sonya etchison from Fotolia.com
  
  Gourds are members of the cucurbitaceae family, related to melons, pumpkins and other squashes. Cultivated by many cultures over thousands of years, they can still be grown for their fruits' decorative or useful properties. In general, gourds grow 100 to 180 days during the warm season. You can obtain rare gourds to plant by seed from a number of vendors specializing in rare fruit and vegetable crops.
  
  

Snake Gourds

• One of the most unusual gourd plants, the snake gourd can be easily grown from seed to produce long, twisting fruits that evoke slithering serpents. The snake gourd is native to India, where farmers and horticulturists have developed a number of varietals including "India short," "extra-long dancer," "white glory" and "baby." The distinct varieties vary in length, diameter and color, most of them shades of white. Like many gourds, the snake gourd plant has large white flowers that bloom at night. If you decide against curing the snake gourd for decoration, you can eat its flesh in fresh or pickled chutneys. The taste is similar to that of a cucumber.
  
  

Sponge Gourds

• Belonging to the Luffa gourd family, sponge gourds are notable for their spongy flesh, which can be used to produce natural cleaning sponges. The gourd's spongy layer lies beneath a hard shell and the stiff and dry sponge holds the plant's many flat, smooth black seeds. Luffa gourds are native to tropical and subtropical climates and are frequently grown in Taiwan, Korea, El Salvador and Colombia. However, they also adapt to temperate climates. Luffa gourds do well in soil with a neutral pH and high nitrogen and phosphorus levels. When growing luffa gourds from seed in a temperate climate, soak them for up to 24 hours before planting to aid germination.
  
  

Bottle Gourds

• The lagenaria family of gourds features one of the most familiar gourd shapes--the bottle gourd. The bottle gourd includes a large number of varietals, some of them quite rare, though available in seed form from specialty seed companies. In general, the bottle gourd grows throughout states along the Eastern seaboard and the southern U.S. The rare "dinosaur gourd" varietal has characteristic wrinkled skin, with a leathery texture. It grows on vines, reaching heights of 6 to 12 inches. The Dinosaur prefers full sunlight and moderate watering, with moderate to slightly acidic soil. Its pale yellow flowers appear in late spring and continue through the beginning of summer. The leaves are blue-green, with veins running throughout.