Plant Encyclopedia

Group/Class:  Winter Squash

Description:

A selection of winter squashes and pumpkins in various sizes and shapes; gold and green to tan and orange, with both ornamental and edible qualities; excellent storage qualities

Edible Qualities

Cucurbita pepo is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces green fruit with orange overtones which are typically harvested when mature. The fruits have a pleasant taste and a fleshy texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Cooking
• Baking
• Freezing

Planting & Growing

Cucurbita pepo will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 3 feet apart. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America..

Cucurbita pepo is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.