Mara Bitter Melon Seeds – Oriental Type, Mild Flavor | Open-Pollinated, High-Yielding (Momordica charantia)

Mara is a premier Oriental-type bitter melon (Momordica charantia) prized in Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Caribbean cuisine for its milder, more refined bitterness compared to Indian varieties. This open-pollinated, high-yielding selection produces large, cylindrical, glossy green fruit — typically 3" in diameter, 11" long, and around 1 lb at full maturity. Vigorous vines, excellent disease tolerance, and a reliable 50–55 day maturity make Mara an outstanding choice for both home gardens and market growing. Available from small trial packets up to 1 lb bulk packs.

Seed Count by Weight

• 10 seeds: Trial packet
• 25 seeds: Home garden packet
• 1 oz: ~195 seeds
• 1/4 lb: ~780 seeds
• 1 lb: ~3,120 seeds

Variety Details

• Species: Momordica charantia
• Type: Oriental bitter melon — milder than Indian types
• Fruit size: ~11" long, ~3" diameter, ~1 lb at maturity
• Skin: Smooth to lightly ridged, glossy green
• Days to maturity: 50–55 days
• Pollination: Open-pollinated — save seeds year to year
• Disease tolerance: Good
• Best for: Stir-fries, soups, stuffed preparations, Asian and Caribbean cooking

Planting Guide

• Season: Warm season — plant after all frost risk has passed and soil is consistently warm.
• Germination temperature: 65°F minimum; optimal 75–85°F.
• Pre-sprouting (recommended): Soak seeds in water for 24 hours, then wrap in a damp paper towel and keep at 75–85°F until the seed coat cracks and a small root tip appears. Transplant carefully once sprouted.
• Direct sow: Plant 1" deep in warm soil, 12–18" apart in rows 4–6 feet apart.
• Trellis: Essential — bitter melon is a vigorous climber. Provide a sturdy trellis, fence, or support for vines to climb. Good vertical airflow reduces disease pressure and makes harvesting easier.
• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist throughout the growing season. Mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
• Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer at planting and side-dress with a nitrogen-light, phosphorus/potassium-rich fertilizer once vines begin to flower.
• Pollination: Hand pollination is required for reliable fruit set. Transfer pollen from male to female flowers using a small brush or by removing a male flower and touching it to the female flower’s center. Female flowers have a small immature fruit behind the petals.
• Bitterness tip: Shade developing fruit or harvest slightly early (7–10" long) to reduce bitterness. The more sunlight fruit receives as it matures, the more bitter it becomes.

Harvesting

• Harvest while fruit is firm, glossy green, and 7–12" long.
• Fruit ripens and turns orange very rapidly — check vines daily at peak season.
• Once yellow or orange, fruit is overripe for culinary use (seeds inside will be red and sweet — edible but no longer used for cooking).

Culinary Uses

• Remove seeds and white pith before cooking to reduce bitterness (or soak sliced fruit in salted water for 15–20 minutes)
• Stir-fries with beef, pork, shrimp, tofu, or eggs
• Stuffed bitter melon with seasoned pork or seafood filling
• Soups and broths — a staple in Chinese and Filipino cuisine
• Young shoots and leaves: blanch, rinse, and cook as greens
• Juiced for health tonics in Ayurvedic and traditional Caribbean medicine

Common Names Worldwide

African cucumber, ampalaya, amargoso, balsam pear, bitter cucumber, bitter gourd, foo gwa, fu gua, karela, ku gua, mara, muop dang, pare, peria, ssunoi, tsuru reishi.