• Indian Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia)
  • Indian Bitter Gourd seeds – heirloom, non-GMO from Inherited Seeds
  • Indian Bitter Gourd, known as Karela in Hindi
  • Indian Bitter Gourd – Pavakkai in Tamil, heirloom
  • Indian Bitter Gourd, also called Bitter Melon
  • Indian Bitter Gourd – bitter melon seeds in ceramic bowl
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Indian Bitter Gourd Seeds (Karela) – Heirloom Bitter Melon, Momordica charantia

Indian Bitter Gourd Seeds (Karela) – Heirloom Bitter Melon, Momordica charantia

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Indian Bitter Gourd · Heirloom · Open-Pollinated · Naturally Grown · Non-GMO · Traditional to India

Indian Bitter Gourd is the classic karela: long, deep green and covered in sharp ridges, with the bold bitterness Indian cooks love. It's the one for bharwan karela, crisp karela chips and Tamil pavakkai pitlai. The vigorous vines climb any trellis and keep producing through the summer heat, so a couple of plants keep the kitchen well stocked.

Why Grow Indian Bitter Gourd?

  • Classic long, ridged, deep green karela
  • Bold, authentic flavor for traditional recipes
  • Vigorous vines with a long harvest season
  • Ideal for trellises, arbors and fences
  • Open-pollinated, so you can save seed every year

Plant Profile

Botanical Name: Momordica charantia

Common Name: Indian Bitter Gourd, Karela, Bitter Melon

Type: Heirloom, open-pollinated

Crop: Gourd vegetable

Fruit Color: Deep green, elongated and heavily ridged

Plant Habit: Vigorous climbing vine, 10–15 ft

Season: Warm season, summer

Sun: Full sun, 6–8+ hours

Days to Harvest: 60–70 days from sowing

Sowing Depth: 1/2–1 in.

Germination: 7–14 days at 75–90°F soil

Harvest: Pick firm, deep green fruits before the tips turn yellow

Garden Use: Trellises, arbors, fences and raised beds

Culinary & Traditional Uses

Indian karela has a strong, pleasantly bitter flavor that pairs well with onions, jaggery, tamarind and bold spices.

  • Bharwan Karela: stuffed with spiced onion and fennel, then pan-roasted
  • Karela Sabzi: dry curry with onions and amchur
  • Pavakkai Pitlai: Tamil tamarind and lentil gravy
  • Kakarakaya Pulusu: Andhra sweet-sour tamarind stew
  • Karela Chips: thin slices fried until crisp
  • Karela Achar: a spicy, long-keeping pickle

How to Grow

Bitter gourd grows fast in heat. Soak the seeds and plant once nights are warm.

  1. Soak seeds overnight in warm water to soften the hard coat.
  2. Start indoors in 4 in. pots 3–4 weeks before your last frost, or sow outdoors 2 weeks after your last frost.
  3. Sow 1/2–1 in. deep and plant 2–3 ft apart along a sturdy trellis 6 ft tall.
  4. Keep soil evenly moist; seedlings appear in 7–14 days.
  5. Guide vines onto the trellis and mulch around the base.
  6. Feed with compost when flowering starts and water deeply during fruiting.
  7. Harvest every 2–3 days while fruits are firm and green to keep the vines producing.

What NOT To Do

  • Don't plant out while nights are below 55°F
  • Don't let fruits turn yellow-orange on the vine
  • Don't let soil dry out during flowering, which causes flower drop
  • Don't skip the trellis; ground-grown fruits curl and rot

Regional & International Names

  • Hindi: Karela (करेला)
  • Tamil: Pavakkai (பாகற்காய்)
  • Telugu: Kakarakaya (కాకరకాయ)
  • Kannada: Hagalakayi (ಹಾಗಲಕಾಯಿ)
  • Malayalam: Pavakka (പാവയ്ക്ക)
  • Bengali: Korola (করলা)
  • Marathi: Karle (कारले)
  • Gujarati: Karela (કારેલા)
  • English: Bitter Melon, Bitter Gourd
  • Chinese: Ku Gua (苦瓜)
  • Filipino: Ampalaya

FAQ

How do I reduce the bitterness?
Slice, rub with salt and turmeric, rest 20 minutes, then squeeze out the juice before cooking.

How is this different from your Mini and White bitter gourds?
This is the classic long, ridged green karela. Mini is bite-size, and White is milder with cream-colored fruits.

Can I grow it in a container?
Yes. Use a 5-gallon or larger pot with a 5–6 ft trellis, one plant per pot.

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