# Why are Gourds Poisonous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 23, 2001, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928 "2001-11-23T18:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_willard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@don\_willard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_willard)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928/1 "2001-11-23T18:14:52Z")
Somehow I asked this on Humble Opinion, but I don’t remember moving to that category! How could this happen? Why are gourds poisonous when they are so closely related to squashes? Signed, Mr. Cucurbitaceae ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928/2 "2001-11-23T18:24:48Z")
Some mushrooms are poisonous and some aren’t and they are directly related, same species, whatever. Seems like calling the non-poisonous “squash” and the poisonous “gourd” is a pretty good idea, if that is the case. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928/3 "2001-11-23T18:37:34Z")
Posting the same thread in two forums is called cross-posting and is not allowed. If you suspect you have posted in the wrong forum, you should e-mail a moderator to move the thread for you rather than reposting in another forum. I have closed your IMHO thread. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928/4 "2001-11-24T01:29:41Z")
Gourds are yummy. Here’s a recipe for [bitter gourd curry](http://www.bawarchi.com/contribution/contrib1385.html). ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928/5 "2001-11-24T02:08:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don willard \* > \*\*Somehow I asked this on Humble Opinion, but I don’t remember moving to that category! How could this happen? > Why are gourds poisonous when they are so closely related to squashes? Signed, Mr. Cucurbitaceae \*\* Nature doesnt care about our culinary tastes, all it cares about is surviving to reproduce. Poison, thorns, irritating hairs, crystals that cause inflammation and swelling are some of nature’s ways to keep predators away so the plants can survive. Remember, even though theyre in the same family, it doesnt mean they should all be the same. For instance take palms (I am palm nut…ha ha, that was a joke :)). Theyre all in the same family yet some have edible fruits, seeds, while others are poisonous, some are unarmed, and some are as spiny as a cactus (look for a picture of Acrocomia media :)). Just ways these plants have adapted to survive. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gourds-poisonous/94928/6 "2001-11-24T20:18:14Z")
I was unaware that any gourds are poisonous (I’m unaware of millions of things, of course.) However, I’m sure of some non-poisonous gourds. Calabash gourds, for example, are used for water dippers and tobacco pipes. –Nott, the large