A relative newcomer amongst winter squash, Butternut was introduced in 1944, although the breeding material, Winter Crookneck, dates back to the 19th century. Vines run 6-7 feet in length. Yields of 2-3 pound squash are good, but quite late. A favorite of many Pinetree workers, Delicata is a good choice for the home gardener. The vines are relatively compact.
Fruits average about eight inches in length, are half as wide, so they are a good size for a meal.
Color is sort of a creamy green with lengthwise darker green stripes. Flesh is an attractive orange and flavor is very sweet. As a bonus, Delicata is also a very good keeper for a small squash and the flavor even seems to improve as the winter passes. We have a particularly good strain of this variety. The sweet, dry, nutty flavor of this open-pollinated squash is superb.