Squash, Gourd, and Pumpkin
All squash originated in the Americas and are members of the Cucurbitaceae, but further taxonomic division into squashes, gourds and pumpkins is very confusing. Types of squash with the same common name can be one of several species of Cucurbita.
Summer Squash
Summer squash plants are bushy and lack tendrils. Generally, male flowers appear first but in a few hybrids, females appear first and will fail to set fruit if a source of pollen is not present. Fruit are harvested immature and have a short storage life.
Types.All summer squash are in the species Cucurbita pepo. The most frequently grown types in the United States are zucchini, yellow straight neck, yellow-crookneck, and white bush scallop (patty pan).
Winter Squash
Most types of winter squash are large spreading plants with a vining rather than a bush growth form. Recently, however, bush types of acorn squash and scallop squash have been introduced. Winter squash fruits can have many different shapes and colors, but all have a hard rind and store well. The flesh is fine-grained and is the best choice for cooking, baking, and 'pumpkin' pies. All types are harvested when the seed are mature.
Types. A winter squash can be any one of three species of Cucurbita. C. pepo types, such as acorn squash, have hard, angular stems. The peduncle, or attachment of the stem to the fruit, flares strongly. Leaves are lobed. C. moschata types, such as butternut squash, have hard, smoothly grooved peduncles flaring at fruit. They also have angular stems but leaves are only slightly lobed. C. maxima types such as Hubbard, Marrow, Banana, Turban and Turks have a corky peduncle, fleshy round stem, and rounded, relatively non-lobed leaves.
Pumpkin
Squash types with round, orange fruit are referred to as pumpkins and are mainly used today as Halloween decoration rather than for food. Fruits are harvested at full seed maturity, but generally do not store as well as the winter squash types. The flesh is generally a little too coarse and strong-flavored for eating so most 'pumpkin' pies are made from winter squash. In earlier times, pumpkins were extensively used as livestock feed.
Types. As with winter squash, pumpkins are a diverse, taxonomically complicated group. Small, classical jack-o-lantern types such as Connecticut Field and Kentucky Field are C. pepo, while large pumpkins such as Atlantic Giant are C. maxima and should more correctly be called winter squash rather than pumpkins. Cushaw, Tennessee and Sweetpotato (the last is used for canning, but does not store well) types are Cucurbita mixta.
Gourds
Gourds are grown for their hard outer shell or fiber rather than for food.
Types. Although there are a number of different species referred to as gourds, they are easily distinguished from each other, unlike pumpkins and squashes. The small, brightly colored and patterned ornamental gourds are all Cucurbita pepo. Gourds grown for the internal fiber and sold as 'vegetable sponges' are Luffa spp. Other gourds which have been important historically because of their use as dippers and containers are Lagenaria spp. (bottle gourd) or Ovifera spp. Most of these are currently grown as ornamentals or novelties.
Location of Production
The top squash producing states in 1992 by harvested acreage were Florida, California, Georgia, New Jersey, and Texas. The top pumpkin producing states were Illinois, California, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Squash. In 1992, 48 percent of the total United States squash acreage was in the Southern Region. The top five states (based on harvested acreage) were Florida, 13,292 acres; Georgia, 8,339; Texas, 2,830; North Carolina, 2,578; and Oklahoma, 877.
Pumpkin. In 1992, 16.5 percent of the total pumpkin acreage was in the Southern Region. The top four states (based on harvested acreage) were Texas, 3,465 acres; Tennessee, 1,461; Virginia, 1,136; and North Carolina, 1,230.
Per Capita Consumption
| 1946 | 1964 | |
|---|---|---|
| Squash, processed | .6 lb | .7 lb |
Nutritional content of squash and pumpkin
Poleman, C.M., and N. . Peckenpaugh. 1991. Nutrition essentials and diet therapy. W.B. Saunders. Co.
| Amount | Calories | Vit. A(%RDA) | Vit. C(%RDA) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer squash | 210g | 30 | 16 | 35 |
| Winter squash | 205g | 130 | 170 | 45 |
| Canned Pumpkin | 245g | 80 | 300 | 20 |
Integrated Pest Management
Life cycles and monitoring and control practices for some of the common insect pests in the southern states are described in Chapter 4. Some of the important diseases of vegetables in the South and their control are described in Disease Management. The general principles of insect and disease IPM programs are also described in their respective chapters. Cultivar resistances to the more common insects and diseases in the South are listed below, as it may be useful to select cultivars with multiple resistances.
The list is not meant to be inclusive, however, as new resistant cultivars are constantly being released.
The main insect pests of squash in Georgia in 1987 were aphids, cucumber beetles and pickleworms.
Nutrition
One cup of eggplant weighs 96 g., has 25 calories and contains small amounts of many nutrients.
Move directly to: Table of Contents
Last Modified: Thursday, October 4, 2001