Hortiforum

General Info – Gac

Widely embraced in Southeast Asian cuisines for both savoury and sweet dishes, the Gac vine is a robust perennial that yields orange to reddish melon-like fruits prized for their vividly coloured pulp.
A member of the Cucurbitaceae family alongside Watermelon and Cucumbers, the Gac vine exhibits growth habits akin to that of a Passionfruit, vigorously spreading and fortifying its ascent with sturdy tendrils. The vibrant red arils encasing the Gac fruit possess a mild inspid flavour with a subtle sweetness, and a bounty of Vitamin C. Despite their mild flavour, these oily arils impart a striking red hue to beverages and desserts. In Vietnam, Gac arils are often cooked together with a sticky/glutinous rice to make Xoi Gac to make a sticky rice with a striking red colour. Owing to the vibrant colour they imbue, Gac arils can be used as a natural colouring where Achiote may not be suitable or when out of season. Furthermore, the immature green fruits can be prepared as a vegetable.
Gac thrives in tropical climates, where it flourishes year-round, and in subtropical regions, where it may enter dormancy during cooler periods. Gac vines require a warm, sheltered, frost-free environment with robust support structures to bear the weight of their prolific growth. Their cultivation demands conditions reminiscent of Passionfruit vines: abundant sunlight, well-drained fertile soil with a neutral pH, and moderate to high rainfall. Gac plants are dioecious, requiring the presence of both male and female specimens to enable the pollination of flowers and subsequent fruiting. Vines can climb up to 15m tall but will remain at the height of the supporting structure provided. The foliage is similar to that of a Passionfruit, with three-lobed leaves.
For gardeners residing in warm, frost-free climates, Gac fruits offer an enticing option, whether repurposing an existing Passionfruit trellis or infusing vibrant crimson hues into culinary creations.

Plant Profile/Properties