Winter Melon White Ash Benincasa Hispida Organic Non-GMO Seeds.. Winter melon, scientifically called Benincasa hispida, also is commonly called the wax gourd, the ash gourd, white gourd, and the winter gourd. while grown during the summer and autumn, it can be stored and eaten during the winter months. Fuzzy melon, called mo gwa or mo qua, is a vegetable that is native to Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines. It looks like a zucchini covered with fuzz; however, while zucchini is a type of squash, fuzzy melon is a gourd. It is an immature winter melon, a mild-tasting fruit often used as a vegetable in Asian cooking. Winter melons have a long growing season and are usually harvested in late fall. To get ahead, you may sow winter melon seeds indoors and transplant once soil temperatures have reached 60F. If sowing directly outside, sow seeds in good quality potting soil once the temperature has reached 60F. Melons grow best in well drained soil.