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Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes (Cucurbita)
Also known as : Pumpkins
Squashes are vining plants, many of which are commonly cultivated as a food crop for their fruit and seeds. This group includes squashes, gourds, and pumpkins. The fruits are good sources of vitamins and nutrients such as niacin and folic acid, and their flowers attract important pollinators such as bees.
Lifespan
Lifespan
Annual
Plant Type
Plant Type
Vegetable
info

Key Facts About Squashes

Attributes of Squashes

Plant Height
3.5 m
Spread
3 m
Flower Size
8 cm to 15 cm
Leaf type
Deciduous
Ideal Temperature
20 - 41 ℃

Scientific Classification of Squashes

distribution

Distribution of Squashes

Distribution Map of Squashes

distribution map
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
habit
care detail

How to Grow and Care for Squashes

how to grow and care
Squashes are sun-loving plants that enjoy rich, well-drained soil and warm temperature. They thrive with abundant watering, but beware of overwatering as they can be prone to rot. Common challenges include pests like cucumber beetles and squash bugs, and diseases such as powdery mildew and bacterial wilt. Seasonally, squashes plants require extra watering during dry summer spells, however, need lesser in winter. They are frost-sensitive and should be protected during cooler seasons or harvested before the first fall frost.
More Info About Caring for Squashes
species

Exploring the Squashes Plants

8 most common species:
Cucurbita pepo
Field pumpkin
Field pumpkin are most commonly seen as decorations throughout the autumn and during the Halloween holiday, when they are carved and used as traditional jack-o'-lanterns. While the taste of field pumpkin flesh may not be ideal, eating the seeds after toasting them with a bit of salt can be a delicious treat!
Cucurbita maxima
Winter squash
Winter squash is a trailing vegetable vine that produces delicious fruits in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. The fruits have a moderate flavor and are utilized in a variety of cuisines worldwide. This plant's male and female blooms generate nectar and a scent that attracts a variety of bee species, including the squash bee.
Cucurbita foetidissima
Buffalo gourd
Buffalo gourd (*Cucurbita foetidissima*) is a perennial plant that grows best in semiarid regions and deserts. It produces oil and may someday be commercially leveraged for biofuel production. The pumpkin portion of the gourd contains many carbohydrates.
Cucurbita moschata
Butternut squash
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a plant species also known as Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash. This species is considered easy to grow in winter. Butternut squash is edible, sweet, flavorful and used for soups, stews, and pies. It will keep well if stored properly.
Cucurbita palmata
Coyote melon
Coyote melon is a low-growing, sprawling vine that prefers dry conditions and loose, gravel-type soil. Although it is a member of the squash family, its fruit is inedible. The dried gourds were once used as musical instruments.
Cucurbita ficifolia
Malabar gourd
The plant stem can grow 5 to 15 m and produces tendrils that help it climb adjacent plants and structures. The color of the flowers is yellow to orange. The fruit is oblong with a diameter of 20 cm, weighs 11 to 13 pounds, and can produce up to 500 seeds.
Cucurbita argyrosperma
Japanese pie pumpkin
The flowers are orange or yellow and bloom in summer. The plant grows about 30 cm high and spreads 3 to 4.5 m. It likes well drained soil and has both male and female flowers. Fruits can weigh up to 20 lb. It is often found in close proximity to Cucurbita moschata.
Cucurbita digitata
Fingerleaf gourd
The fingerleaf gourd is a type of vine that can be identified by its fuzzy, palmate leaves. Although it produces dark-green squash as its fruit, it has a disagreeable bitter flavor, and the pulp can be toxic to some people.

All Species of Squashes

Field pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo
Field pumpkin
Field pumpkin are most commonly seen as decorations throughout the autumn and during the Halloween holiday, when they are carved and used as traditional jack-o'-lanterns. While the taste of field pumpkin flesh may not be ideal, eating the seeds after toasting them with a bit of salt can be a delicious treat!
Winter squash
Cucurbita maxima
Winter squash
Winter squash is a trailing vegetable vine that produces delicious fruits in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. The fruits have a moderate flavor and are utilized in a variety of cuisines worldwide. This plant's male and female blooms generate nectar and a scent that attracts a variety of bee species, including the squash bee.
Buffalo gourd
Cucurbita foetidissima
Buffalo gourd
Buffalo gourd (*Cucurbita foetidissima*) is a perennial plant that grows best in semiarid regions and deserts. It produces oil and may someday be commercially leveraged for biofuel production. The pumpkin portion of the gourd contains many carbohydrates.
Butternut squash
Cucurbita moschata
Butternut squash
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a plant species also known as Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash. This species is considered easy to grow in winter. Butternut squash is edible, sweet, flavorful and used for soups, stews, and pies. It will keep well if stored properly.
Coyote melon
Cucurbita palmata
Coyote melon
Coyote melon is a low-growing, sprawling vine that prefers dry conditions and loose, gravel-type soil. Although it is a member of the squash family, its fruit is inedible. The dried gourds were once used as musical instruments.
Malabar gourd
Cucurbita ficifolia
Malabar gourd
The plant stem can grow 5 to 15 m and produces tendrils that help it climb adjacent plants and structures. The color of the flowers is yellow to orange. The fruit is oblong with a diameter of 20 cm, weighs 11 to 13 pounds, and can produce up to 500 seeds.
Japanese pie pumpkin
Cucurbita argyrosperma
Japanese pie pumpkin
The flowers are orange or yellow and bloom in summer. The plant grows about 30 cm high and spreads 3 to 4.5 m. It likes well drained soil and has both male and female flowers. Fruits can weigh up to 20 lb. It is often found in close proximity to Cucurbita moschata.
Fingerleaf gourd
Cucurbita digitata
Fingerleaf gourd
The fingerleaf gourd is a type of vine that can be identified by its fuzzy, palmate leaves. Although it produces dark-green squash as its fruit, it has a disagreeable bitter flavor, and the pulp can be toxic to some people.
Field pumpkin 'Zucchini'
Cucurbita pepo 'Zucchini'
Field pumpkin 'Zucchini'
Field pumpkin 'Zucchini' is a bushy plant with enormous leaves and large yellow-orange flowers. Both leaves and stems have prickly trichomes. The fruit is a long, dark green, and cylindrical vegetable (regularly known as zucchini) that is used in many culinary dishes all around the world. This is a variant of the same species that produces pumpkins and squash.
Field pumpkin 'Hundredweight'
Cucurbita pepo 'Hundredweight'
Field pumpkin 'Hundredweight'
It's all in the name with this cultivar! A mammoth variety that was cultivated especially for producing giant pumpkins, field pumpkin 'Hundredweight' was cultivated as a sport of field pumpkins. It was then named specifically for its massive-sized pumpkins, with some even growing to 100 pounds. Field pumpkin 'Hundredweight' is popular for pumpkin competitions due to its impressive growth habit and bright, healthy look.
Crookneck squash 'Harrier'
Cucurbita moschata 'Harrier'
Crookneck squash 'Harrier'
Crookneck squash 'Harrier' is a uniquely-shaped summer squash with a bright yellow color and a curved neck. Its meaty texture and rich flavor make it a favorite in many culinary dishes, while also offering numerous health benefits including high levels of vitamin C and potassium.
Vegetable Spaghetti
Cucurbita pepo 'Vegetable Spaghetti'
Vegetable Spaghetti
Vegetable Spaghetti is a distinctive orange-skinned variety of the summer squash Cucurbita pepo subsp. Pepo. Its name derives from the unique character of its flesh, which forms spaghetti-like strands when cooked. Unlike other squashes, which typically have a sweet flavor, this hybrid has more of a neutral taste.
Field pumpkin 'El Greco'
Cucurbita pepo 'El Greco'
Field pumpkin 'El Greco'
Field pumpkin 'El Greco' is a popular cultivar of summer squash. Its prize-winning fruit was domesticated in the Americas. This cultivar can easily be found in grocery stores or gardens. It is, however, sterile, so it cannot be propagated by seed. It may have received its name from its Greek roots.
Cucurbita radicans
Cucurbita radicans
Cucurbita radicans
Cucurbita radicans flaunts vigorous vining stems and broad, green leaves, adopting a sprawling habit typical of its family. Its yellow blossoms give way to elongated fruits, which may vary in color. Thriving in warm, well-drained soils, cucurbita radicans shows a notable resilience to drought, its deep roots tapping into subterranean water reserves. Its growth is often prolific, covering substantial ground as it radiates from a central point.
popular genus

More Popular Genus

Dracaena
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Ficus
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Rubus
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Acer
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Solanum
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Rosa
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Quercus
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Squashes
Cucurbita
Also known as: Pumpkins
Squashes are vining plants, many of which are commonly cultivated as a food crop for their fruit and seeds. This group includes squashes, gourds, and pumpkins. The fruits are good sources of vitamins and nutrients such as niacin and folic acid, and their flowers attract important pollinators such as bees.
Lifespan
Lifespan
Annual
Plant Type
Plant Type
Vegetable
info

Key Facts About Squashes

Attributes of Squashes

Plant Height
3.5 m
Spread
3 m
Flower Size
8 cm to 15 cm
Leaf type
Deciduous
Ideal Temperature
20 - 41 ℃

Scientific Classification of Squashes

distribution

Distribution of Squashes

Distribution Map of Squashes

distribution map
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
care detail

How to Grow and Care for Squashes

Squashes are sun-loving plants that enjoy rich, well-drained soil and warm temperature. They thrive with abundant watering, but beware of overwatering as they can be prone to rot. Common challenges include pests like cucumber beetles and squash bugs, and diseases such as powdery mildew and bacterial wilt. Seasonally, squashes plants require extra watering during dry summer spells, however, need lesser in winter. They are frost-sensitive and should be protected during cooler seasons or harvested before the first fall frost.
More Info About Caring for Squashes
species

Exploring the Squashes Plants

8 most common species:
Cucurbita pepo
Field pumpkin
Field pumpkin are most commonly seen as decorations throughout the autumn and during the Halloween holiday, when they are carved and used as traditional jack-o'-lanterns. While the taste of field pumpkin flesh may not be ideal, eating the seeds after toasting them with a bit of salt can be a delicious treat!
Cucurbita maxima
Winter squash
Winter squash is a trailing vegetable vine that produces delicious fruits in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. The fruits have a moderate flavor and are utilized in a variety of cuisines worldwide. This plant's male and female blooms generate nectar and a scent that attracts a variety of bee species, including the squash bee.
Cucurbita foetidissima
Buffalo gourd
Buffalo gourd (*Cucurbita foetidissima*) is a perennial plant that grows best in semiarid regions and deserts. It produces oil and may someday be commercially leveraged for biofuel production. The pumpkin portion of the gourd contains many carbohydrates.
Cucurbita moschata
Butternut squash
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a plant species also known as Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash. This species is considered easy to grow in winter. Butternut squash is edible, sweet, flavorful and used for soups, stews, and pies. It will keep well if stored properly.
Show More Species

All Species of Squashes

popular genus

More Popular Genus

Dracaena
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Ficus
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Rubus
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Acer
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Solanum
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Rosa
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Quercus
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
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17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
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product icon
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
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