pumpkin (vegetable) - Memidex dictionary/thesaurus Collins Dictionary: pumpkin any of several creeping cucurbitaceous plants of the genus "Cucurbita", especially "C. pepo" of North America and "C. maxima" of Europe | the large ... (23 of 417 words, 4 definitions, 10 usage examples, pronunciation) Columbia Encyclopedia: pumpkin | vegetable marrow common name for the genus "Cucurbita" of the family Cucurbitaceae (gourd family), a group that includes the pumpkins and squashes--the names may be ... (24 of 188 words) VEGETABLES - PUMPKIN, Learn about Pumpkin, Pumpkin Lessons, Pumpkin Printables, Pumpkin Worksheets, Pumpkin Coloring Pages, Pumpkin Questions, Pumpkin Teaching Tools, Pumpkin Videos, Pumpkin Games, Pumpkin Store Pumpkin 2 DESCRIPTION: Pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds).

In the United States and Canada it is a common name of or can refer to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata. They are typically orange or yellow and have many creases running from the stem to the bottom. They have a thick shell on the outside, with seeds and pulp on the inside. In British and Australian English, pumpkin generally refers to what North Americans call winter squash, but would include the above species. This article is based on the North American definition. The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for "large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin". The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico.

Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms). Since some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used interchangeably. In general, pumpkin stems are more rigid, prickly, and angular (with an approximate five-degree angle) than squash stems, which are generally softer, more rounded, and more flared where joined to the fruit. Pumpkins generally weigh 9 - 18 lbs (4 - 8 kg) with the largest (of the species C. maxima) capable of reaching a weight of over 75 lbs (34 kg). The pumpkin varies greatly in shape, ranging from oblate through oblong. The rind is smooth and usually lightly ribbed. Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, some fruits are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and gray. Pumpkins are monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flower is distinguished by the small ovary at the base of the petals.

These bright and colorful flowers have extremely short life spans and may only open for as short a time as one day. The color of pumpkins is derived from the orange pigments abundant in them. The main nutrients are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter of which generates vitamin A in the body. Squash Squash Squash was a food staple in the Americas for some eight thousand years before the first European explorers arrived here. Like melons and cucumbers, squashes are edible gourds that are indigenous to North, Central, and South America. The name comes form the Algonquin word askutasquash, which means, "eaten raw" and probably derives form the kind of summer squash encountered by early European settlers. The Native Americans taught them how to store and use winter squashes as a staple and demonstrated the curative and hygienic properties of squash seeds. Following the practice of the natives, the settlers ate whatever was available in the wild--fish, fowl, venison-which often carried parasites, and cured themselves by eating squash. Varieties The squashes commonly found in the United States are divided into summer and winter varieties.

Summer varieties are immature squashes, usually small in size, with a soft skin, white flesh, high water content, and crunchy texture. Summer squashes are 100 percent edible, seeds and all, and very perishable. Winter varieties are fully mature squashes that are usually larger in size, with a hard outer shell and a long shelf life. They are always eaten cooked. Most have an orange flesh that is sweeter and nuttier in flavor than the more delicate summer squashes and contain large quantities of beta-carotene. The larger, harder seeds of winter squashes are usually discarded, but they can be salted, roasted, and eaten like nuts. Summer squash Yellow squash and long, slender, dark green zucchini are probably the two most familiar summer squashes, but there are other good varieties. These include the chayote, which is pear-shaped, with white, pale, or dark green skin, the cocozelle, which is shaped like a zucchini and striped green and yellow, and the tiny scalloped pattypan, which has white, yellow, or green stripes and looks like a little flying saucer. Winter Squash Winter squashes all have a hard skin.

There are many varieties and a hundred ways to cook them. Acorn squash, so named because it's shaped a bit like a large acorn, is one of the smaller winter squashes. It has a dark green skin and orange flesh. Banana squash is cylindrical in shape, with an ivory to pink shell and ivory to pink flesh. Buttercup squash is turban-shaped, with a green or orange skin and yellow flesh. Butternut is fairly large and pear-shaped, with a smooth, cream-colored skin and orange flesh. Delicata, which I think is one of the best-tasting squashes, is long and slender--something like a cucumber. It has a green and beige striped skin and yellow flesh. Golden acorn looks just like acorn squash, except the skin is bright orange and the flesh is sweeter than that of the green acorn squash. Golden nugget is closely related to the acorn variety. A very deep orange color inside and out, it is mostly available in small, single-serving sizes. It can be opened like a small pumpkin, which it looks exactly like, scooped out, basted with butter, and baked whole.

Hubbard squash may be the least attractive-looking of the lot, but it's terrific. Very large in size, with a hard, thick, bumpy, gray-green or orange shell, it has very sweet orange flesh. An uncut one can be stored in a cool, dry place for months without losing its flavor and sweetness. An average Hubbard squash can weigh twenty pounds, so most produce stands will sell cut halves or quarters. Cut Hubbards should be wrapped and refrigerated, and they'll keep about a week. Hubbard squash can be baked, mashed, added to soups, or mixed with other vegetables in a casserole. It makes an excellent pie; although it has the same flavor as a pumpkin pie, it's sweeter and requires less sugar. It also has a thicker, firmer texture than fresh pumpkin, so that it sets up better. An especially nutritious variety, Hubbard squash has a high vitamin content and delivers enormous quantities of beta-carotene. Pumpkins are another variety of winter squash, with an orange or tan shell and orange flesh. It provides more beta-carotene per serving than any other fruit or vegetable. (See Pumpkins .) Spaghetti squash has a round or oval yellow shell.

The yellow- to cream-colored flesh inside comes out in strands, giving the squash its name. Sweet dumpling squash is another one of my favorites. It has a green skin streaked with white and yellow-orange flesh. Turban squash has bumpy orange to red skin with green stripes. The flesh is usually orange. Season Summer squashes, especially zucchini, are generally available year round, but the peak seasons between April and September. Winter squashes are also available year round, but some varieties are hard to find in the summer. The peak season is September through March. Selecting All squashes should have a solid, heavy feel. A squash that feels light for its size may be soft and dehydrated inside. Summer squashes should have a firm but tender, sleek, unblemished skin. A shiny skin on yellow squash and zucchini is a good indication that it was picked young and tasty. Choose small to medium-sized squashes, rather than large ones, for the best flavor and texture. Winter squashes vary widely in size, but most of them are quite large. For that reason they're often sold in halves or quarters.

The hard shell of a winter squash should be undamaged, but the skin, unlike that of summer squashes, should be dull, which indicates the squash was picked when fully mature. Make sure the stem is still, attached; a missing stem means the squash has been in storage too long. Storing Summer squash: Store refrigerated in an unsealed plastic bag and use within three or four days. Handle summer squash carefully because the tender skin is easily nicked. Winter squash: Never refrigerate unless it's been cut; then wrap in plastic and store only a day or two before using. The smaller the winter squash, the shorter the shelf life; acorn squash, for example, should be used within two or three weeks of purchase. Some of the larger varieties of winter squash will stay sweet and good-tasting as long as six or seven months if kept in a dry, cool (not cold) place, out of direct sunlight. Preparing Summer Squash Summer squashes have high water content--never overcook or they will turn to mush. Overcooking is probably why so many kids hate squash! There are exceptions, but zucchini, chayote, crookneck, and cocozelle never need peeling.

If the squash looks nice and tender, leave the peel on. Simply wash it and discard a thin slice from each end. Summer squashes are terrific brushed with a little oil and cooked on the grill, and they can be steamed, sautï¿½ed, stir-fried, or baked in casseroles. Use very little water if you're going to boil a squash. Cut it into horizontal slices about a quarter of an inch thick, put in just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, add salt, pepper, and butter if desired, cover, and cook no more than three to five minutes. Turn the squash a few times to cook evenly and test frequently for doneness--it's done when it's easily pierced with a fork but retains some crunch. To grill, slice the squash lengthwise, marinate or brush with an oil-based salad dressing or with olive oil, herbs, and perhaps some garlic, then grill over hot coals, turning occasionally so it doesn't burn. Young, tender summer squashes, especially zucchini, are good raw in salads or with dips. They are delicious lightly steamed, stir-fried in a little oil, or fried tempura-style in batter.

There are many Mediterranean recipes that call for squash--it's good in a ratatouille or baked with Parmesan cheese. Zucchini can also be used in zucchini bread--a sweet bread, almost like cake, that makes a good dessert--and muffins. Pattypan squash is good stuffed and baked. Cut off the stem end and carefully scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh. Stuff with a combination of bread crumbs, minced, sautï¿½ed onions, herbs, and grated cheese, or with sweet corn, diced sautï¿½ed red sweet peppers, and minced scallions. Bake in a moderate oven about twenty minutes, or until tender. Preparing Winter Squash Cutting a winter squash can present an interesting challenge. When I did a show on winter squash, I invited Matt Lauer, an NBC reporter, to demonstrate--then gave him a pair of goggles and heavy gloves and pulled a chain saw from under the counter. It was a joke but not too far off the mark. We have a customer at the store whose husband cuts the winter squash with a band saw!

The problem is that the shell is very hard, the squash tends to roll, and the blade of a knife tends to slip off the smooth skin. A kitchen saw or even a small saw from the workshop will make short work of it, but another reasonably simple way to cut into a winter squash is to look for the area on the squash that has indentations or ribs. Lay the squash so it's as steady as you can get it, insert the pint of a sturdy knife in a crease, give the handle a couple of taps with a hammer to start the cut, then proceed as if you were cutting a watermelon. (Need I say that you have to be extremely careful when you do this?) Remove the seeds before cooking. Smaller winter squash are best baked. Cut in half, brush with butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake for about thirty minutes, or until tender. Acorn squash are typically baked. Golden acorn, golden nugget, delicata, and sweet dumpling squashes are particularly delicious prepared this way; because they're so sweet, they'll need less sugar than green-skinned acorns. Very large squashes can be peeled, cut in chunks, and boiled from ten to twenty minutes, or until tender.

The chunks can then be pureed or mashed and prepared as you would mashed potatoes; butternut squash is at its best prepared this way. Winter squash is delicious added to soups and stews or sliced, battered, and fried; precook it in water until the flesh is tender-crisp before frying. Spaghetti squash is best baked whole in a moderately hot oven for one to one and a half hours, depending on the size of the squash. Pierce the squash in two or three places before baking to release steam. After it's done, cut in half and use a fork to remove the flesh, which looks and handles like spaghetti. You can toss it with a marinara sauce or top it with butter or cheese. A lot of people like to eat spaghetti squash cold with vinaigrette. At home Betty makes a cold zucchini salad that's very simple, quick, and delicious. Slice the zucchini and sautï¿½ briefly in olive oil with a bit of garlic. Remove from the heat and, while the zucchini is still hot, splash a top-quality vinegar over it. It can be a good wine vinegar or a balsamic or herbed vinegar, depending on you preference.

Add some salt and pepper and serve either warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Because of its versatility, zucchini is a good staple to keep around the house. The other night we got home late, and neither of us wanted to bother with a big meal, so Betty sliced and sautï¿½ed zucchini and potato, added beaten eggs to the pan when the vegetables were almost done, and made a terrific frittata. Recipes Annual Vegetable : Pumpkin PKT *Each PKT is of 500 grams A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds). It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America. They typically have a thick, orange or yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp. Pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use, and are used both in food and recreation.

Pumpkin pie, for instance, is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in the United States, and pumpkins are frequently carved as decorations around Halloween. In Australian English, the name 'pumpkin' generally refers to the broader category called winter squash in North America. In India iy is called KADDU in hindi. The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin". The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 BC, were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms). Since some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used interchangeably.

In general, pumpkin stems are more rigid, prickly, and angular (with an approximate five-degree angle) than squash stems, which are generally softer, more rounded, and more flared where joined to the fruit. Pumpkins generally weigh 9–18 lbs (4–8 kg) with the largest (of the species C. maxima) capable of reaching a weight of over 75 lbs (34 kg). The pumpkin varies greatly in shape, ranging from oblate to oblong. The rind is smooth and usually lightly ribbed. Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, some fruits are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and gray. Pumpkins are monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flower is distinguished by the small ovary at the base of the petals. These bright and colorful flowers have extremely short life spans and may only open for as short a time as one day. The color of pumpkins is derived from the orange pigments abundant in them. The main nutrients are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter of which generates vitamin A in the body.

The World's Largest Fruit The Gourd Family (Cucurbitaceae) includes hundreds of species of vines bearing coiled, climbing tendrils and some of the most unusual fruits in the world. The total number of species may exceed 700, with at least 100 different genera. Known as "curcurbits" to gourd lovers, the fruits of this exceedingly diverse family come in an astounding array of shapes and sizes, from tiny, marble-sized "jumbie pumpkins" of the Caribbean islands to giant gourds over seven feet (2 m) long. In fact, the undisputed world's largest fruits belong to this remarkable plant family. According to Cucurbits, the official newsletter of the World Pumpkin Confederation, a 1993 record-breaking pumpkin weighed in at 836 pounds (379 kg) and a giant squash tipped the scales at just over 700 pounds (317 kg). One year later at the "gourd olympics" in Port Elgin, Ontario, the reign of the pumpkin was broken by a 900 (408 kg) pound squash.

When this record was first published on-line in Wayne's Word: "The World's Largest Fruit" (see hyperlink below), it appeared that the squash had clearly beaten its long-time rival, the pumpkin, and was indeed the world's largest fruit (at least according to contests sponsored by the World Pumpkin Confederation). But finally, on that fateful day of October 5, 1996 at the official World Pumpkin Confederation weigh-in at Clarence, New York, the pumpkin once again regained its title of the world's largest fruit. Not only did a record-breaking pumpkin beat its 900 pound squash rival of 1994, but it also broke the 1,000 pound barrier where no pumpkin or squash had ever gone before. For their remarkable 1,061 pound (481 kg) mammoth pumpkin, the lucky growers received a grand prize of 50,000 dollars. According to the growers, Paula and Nathan Zehr, they used 150 gallons of water a day and a custom fertilizer mix containing 60 ingredients. During its 3-4 month growing period, their amazing pumpkin gained over 10 pounds per day.

In another pumpkin contest held at Canfield, Ohio in October 2000, a pumpkin weighed in at 1140 pounds. In October 2002, a pumpkin was reported from Manchester, New Hampshire with an astonishing weight of 1337 pounds. A field of pumpkins and Mr. Wolffia celebrating Halloween. Pumpkin harvest at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, California. Gourds Used For National Currency The gourd family also includes many economically important fruits and vegetables, including pumpkins, squash, melons and cucumbers. In addition, gourds are used by people throughout the world for musical instruments, including shakers, maracas, drums, horns, marimbas and various string gourds resembling a banjo. Other uses include pipes, masks, canteens, water jugs, dippers, birdhouses, bath sponges and decorative gourds with intricate etched designs. So important were gourds to Haitian people in the early 1800s that gourds were made the national currency.

The governor of northern Haite in 1807, Henri Cristophe, declared that all gourds would become the property of the state. Piled high on farm carts, 227,000 gourds were collected for the treasury by soldiers without objection from the peasants. To this day, the standard coin of Haiti is called a "gourde." There is apparently some disagreement as to whether this large and somewhat cumbersome Haitian currency came from true vine gourds of the Cucurbitaceae, or from calabash trees that commonly grow in the Caribbean islands. According to Carolyn Mordecai (Gourd Craft, 1978), both types of gourds were brought to the treasury of Haite. Incidentally, the gourd was only used temporarily in Haite until a currency system backed by gold could be established. Otherwise you would need a shopping cart full of gourds to buy groceries at the local market. Do Calabash Gourds Grow On Trees?

The popular, painted calabash gourds of the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America come from a native tropical American tree that belongs to the Bignonia Family (Bignoniaceae), along with catalpa and jacaranda trees. There are two species of Calabash trees that grow wild in Mexico, Central and South America, Crescentia alata and C. cujete. The latter species is easy to identify because it has simple leaves and its gourd-like fruits are much larger, up to 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter. The unusual flowers of both species develop from buds that literally grow out of the main trunk and limbs, a condition termed cauliflory. Like many other large-flowered cauliflorous species, calabash trees are commonly pollinated by small bats of the genera Glossophaga and Artibeus. According to Daniel Janzen (Costa Rican Natural History, 1983), the pollen is in the dorsal (upper) side of the flower and is placed on the head and shoulders of the bat. After pollination the spectacular calabash fruits begin to develop along the trunk and limbs.

A crop of 100 or more of these large, green, gourd-like spheres may adorn the tree for up to seven months, before turning yellow-green and eventually falling to the ground. As in coconut palms, it is probably not a good idea to sleep under a calabash tree, at least when it bears mature fruits high above you in the dropping stage. Although calabash gourds can be large, they are not the largest tree-bearing fruit. Another unrelated cauliflorous tree called jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophylla) bears the world's most massive tree-bearing fruits from its trunk and lower branches. Native to the Indo-Malaysian region, the jackfruit is grown throughout the tropics for its pulpy, edible fruits which may reach nearly 3 feet (1 m) in length and weigh up to 75 pounds (34 kg). Jackfruit and its close relative, breadfruit (A. altilis), belong to the diverse Mulberry Family (Moraceae). You have probably heard of the story of Captain Bligh, who tried to bring a load of breadfruit cuttings from Tahiti to the Caribbean in 1789 aboard the H.M.S. Bounty.

Enchanted with the Tahitian way of life, his crew mutinied on the voyage. Dried calabash gourds are painted in bright colors and are fashioned into all sorts of decorative and useful objects, including shakers, bowls and containers. On the lovely Caribbean island of Dominica, Carib Indians carve elaborate designs into the woody gourds during the "softer" green stage. When dry, the woody gourds are permanently etched with beautiful designs of native animals. On the lovely Caribbean island of Dominica, Carib Indians carve elaborate designs into the woody calabash gourds during the "softer" green stage. When the gourds dry, the image of a native animal (in this photo a native parrot) is permanently etched into the exocarp of the gourd. Because calabash gourds are so large and hard-shelled, no native New Word herbivores can crack them open, and the rotting gourds litter the ground beneath old calabash trees. It is well documented that horses can break open the hard shell with their mouth and eat the sweet pulpy mass inside, dispersing the seeds in their dung.

In Africa, large woody pods of other species are quickly devoured by large herbivores. According to D.H. Janzen and P.S. Martin (Science Vol. 215, 1982), large grazing mammals, including extinct pleistocene elephants called gomphotheres, may have once eaten the huge gourds and dispersed the seeds in lowland forests. The bat-pollinated flowers and large, gourd-like fruits of the calabash tree (Crescentia cujete) literally grow out of the trunk of this striking tropical tree. Pollination And Fruit Development Although some popular dictionaries define a vegetable as a plant part generally eaten with a main entree (but not as a dessert), all of the edible gourd relatives are really botanical fruits. They all contain seeds and develop from an ovary just below the female flower. Because they typically have a thick, leathery rind, the ripened fruits are technically referred to as "pepos." Species of cucurbits are usually monoecious, with separate pollen-bearing male flowers and seed-bearing female flowers on the same plant.

There are some dioecious gourd species with separate male and female individuals, as in cottonwoods, willows, date palms, marijuana and people. Male flowers typically have 3-5 erect stamens bunched together within the corolla throat of 5 fused petals. Female flowers have 3 spreading stigma lobes and an immature fruit (ovary) below the perianth (fused petals and sepals). The spiny, sticky pollen is not windborne and requires insects for pollination. The most common pollinator insects appear to be beetles and bees. The author has observed honey bees busily collecting pollen from the showy, golden yellow male flowers of coyote melon (Cucurbita foetidissima), and also visiting the nectar-rich, receptive female flowers on the same plant. This extensive bee activity is most prevalent in the early morning hours of summer in southern California. During their floral visitations, the worker bees become covered with pollen, and readily transfer the pollen grains from flower to flower. Wild And Squirting Cucumbers Some members of the gourd family, such as the wild cucumber (Marah macrocarpus) do not produce the typical pepo fruit of the Gourd Family.

Instead they produce seed-bearing capsules that split open at one end. Following winter and spring rains, wild cucumber vines bearing large, green spiny fruits drape the native chaparral vegetation throughout mountains of coastal southern California. Each year the vines grow rapidly from enormous subterranean tuberous burls that may be several feet in diameter and weigh 60 to 100 pounds. They are often the first plants to appear in chaparral areas that were burned during the fire season of the previous summer and fall. When the spiny fruits of wild cucumber are mature they suddenly split open with an audible cracking sound revealing several large seeds inside. A related Mediterranean species, called the "squirting cucumber" (Ecballium elaterium) explosively ejects its seeds like a miniature canon. The climbing gourd (Alsomitra macrocarpa), native to the Sunda Islands of the Malay Archipelago, produces one of the largest winged seeds up to 5 inches (13 cm) wide inside a large, club-shaped gourd. The football-sized gourds hang from a vine high in the forest canopy, each packed with hundreds of winged seeds.

Alsomitra is one of the most unusual members of the diverse gourd family. The seeds have two papery wing membranes and become airborne like a glider when released from the fruit. This large, streamlined seed reportedly inspired the wing design of some early aircraft, gliders and kites. Although the seeds vary in shape, some of the most symmetrical ones superficially resemble the shape of the "flying wing" aircraft or a modern Stealth Bomber. The remarkable winged seed of the tropical Asian climbing gourd Alsomitra macrocarpa. The entire seed has a wingspan of 5 inches (13 cm) and is capable of gliding through the air of the rain forest in wide circles. This seed reportedly inspired the design of early aircraft and gliders. Seed courtesy of The Cucurbit Network P.O. Box 560483, Miami, Florida 33256 USA The massive, subterranean tuberous burls of wild cucumber are similar to the swollen-stem (caudiciform) xerophytes that store great quantities of water and survive in extremely arid desert regions.

In fact, there are several dozen perennial species of unusual caudiciform cucurbits, including the South African Gerrardanthus macrorrhizus, Cephalopentandra ecirrhosa, and Kedrostis africana, all with climbing vines growing out of a massive woody caudex. Their general growth form resembles some of the dioscoreas (Dioscoreaceae), although the two families are unrelated and undoubtedly represent examples of convergent evolution in arid regions. Examples of Dioscorea species include the African turtleback plant (D. elephantipes) and the tropical yams (D. alata and D. esculenta), the world's largest vegetables, with edible tubers weighing up to 150 pounds (68 kg). According to G.D. Rowley (Caudiciform and Pachycaul Succulents, 1987), a remarkable monotypic cucurbit Dendrosicyos socotrana grows on the island of Socotra (southeast of Yemen), with a massive tapering trunk, prickly leaves and no tendrils.

Large, woody caudex and spiny seed capsules of wild cucumber (Marah macrocarpus), a common caudiciform vine in the coastal sage scrub and chaparral of southern California. The entire caudex was about 2 feet (0.6 m) long and weighed approximately 40 pounds (18 kg). I have seen other specimens in the wild that were three times this size. In addition to surviving prolonged periods of drought, the large caudex resprouts readily after brush fires. In fact, it is one of the first plants to appear on ash-covered slopes in early spring. Unlike edible fruits of the gourd family, called pepos, the wild cucumber is a capsule that splits open at one end. Archeological evidence from seeds, rinds, and the well-preserved stalks (peduncles) of gourds indicates that New World Indians were cultivating squashes and gourds in the Americas up to 8,000 years ago. Ancient civilizations in North and South America, such as the Aztec, the Inca, and the Maya were dependent upon a corn/bean/squash complex for their vital nutrition.

According to the authority on gourds, Thomas W. Whitaker, early people in the New World first domesticated native squashes and pumpkins for their tasty seeds rather than the fruit flesh. Diet conscious people know that squashes are low in calories, high in fiber, and some are rich in vitamin A. They can be eaten raw in salads, or fried, boiled, steamed, pickled, candied, dried, baked, or made into pies and bread. Are Pumpkins And Squash Closely Related? There is ample archaeological evidence to show that the diverse varieties of squash and pumpkins grown today throughout the world originated from wild Cucurbita gourds cultivated in the Americas for thousands of years by native Indians. Sorting out all the varieties of edible cucurbits with their correct species identification is very difficult, although it is nicely summarized in Hortus Third by L.H. Bailey and E.Z. Bailey, 1976. A more updated summary is given in Cucurbits (Crop Production Science in Horticulture 6) by R.W. Robinson and D.S. Decker-Walters (1997).

The immature, soft-rind summer squash, including the summer crookneck, straightneck, table queen (acorn), zucchini and white bush scallop, are all varieties of Cucurbita pepo. According to Smithsonian archeologist Bruce Smith and archaeologist Wesley Cowan of the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, a variety of C. pepo native to the Ozark region of Arkansas and Missouri (C. pepo ssp. ovifera var. ozarkana) may be the living ancestor of today's many varieties of summer squash and related gourds. Their research indicates that is was cultivated in this area by native Indians more than 3,000 years ago. For decades this remarkable gourd was thought to be a garden escape by botanists, and its significance as the possible ancestor of summer squashes had not been investigated. According to S.D. Coe (Americas First Cuisines, 1994), C. pepo may have been domesticated twice in North America, a long-day variety in the eastern United States, and a short-day variety in Mexico. According to D.S. Decker-Walters, et al. (Journal of Ethnobiology Vol.

13, 1993), squash domestication in the New World followed two major independent lineages of cultivars. Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo, which comprises pumpkins, marrows, Mexican landraces, and a few ornamental gourds, apparently had its origins in Mexico. Subspecies ovifera, which includes scallop and crookneck squashes and most ornamental gourds, appears to be native to the Eastern United States. Although several North American varieties of ssp. ovifera exist, genetic (isozyme) comparisons indicate that the wild progenitor was indeed the Ozark gourd (var. ozarkana). Another fascinating piece of evidence for a New World origin of squashes and pumpkins is their natural pollinators. According to S.D. Coe (1994), the original distribution of these gourds in the wild coincides with the range of various bees in the genus Peponapsis, whose sole source of nectar and pollen are the squashes. The largest present-day concentration of Peponapsis species is Mexico and Central America, with another indigenous population in South America.

Today, in many areas of North America, including your vegetable garden, the introduced European honey bee (Apis mellifera) has taken over this vital pollination role. The mature, hard-rind winter squash, including the hubbard, banana, delicious, buttercup, and turban are varieties of C. maxima. Butternut squash and winter crookneck come from C. moschata, while green-striped cushaws come from C. mixta (also listed as C. argyrosperma). The terms pumpkin and squash have no precise botanical meaning and may refer to any of the above New World species. [To enter your prize pumpkin in the official World Pumpkin Confederation Annual Weigh-Off, it must be cream-yellow to orange; if it is green to gray or mottled in color it must be entered as a squash.] Many pumpkins are varieties of C. pepo, although the largest pumpkins probably come from C. maxima. Generally, the hard-rind varieties of squash and pumpkins are best for baking and pies. Another edible New World species is the Malabar or fig-leaf gourd (C. ficifolia).

Unlike the squashes and pumpkins, it is a perennial vine that thrives at higher elevations (above 3,000 feet or 1000 m). It is common around Quito, Ecuador, where a single plant may cover an entire vacant lot. Chayote, Loofah Sponge and Melons Spaghetti squash and most of the colorful, warty and star-shaped ornamental gourds seen at Thanksgiving time also come from varieties of Cucurbita pepo. Since they all belong to the same species, ornamental gourds, summer squash and pumpkins may cross pollinate in your garden, resulting in some interesting hybrids. In fact, some farmers avoid planting ornamental gourds near their edible crops to prevent pollen contamination and bitter, inedible squash and melons. Colorful ornamental gourds come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The boiled, fibrous interior of spaghetti squash makes a delicious, low calorie substitute for pasta. In the Wayne's Word garden, the early summer fruits of a volunteer spaghetti squash did not have the characteristic fibrous flesh. Although the shape and size resembled a spaghetti squash, the flesh was more like a typical summer (scallop) squash.

It came from the seeds of a true spaghetti squash that were thrown into the garden as mulch. See A Volunteer Spaghetti Squash Another interesting gourd from Mexico that has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times is chayote (Sechium edule). The pear-shaped, green fruits can be boiled, fried, stuffed or eaten in salads. Unlike most other members of the Gourd Family which have numerous seeds embedded in the inner fruit tissue, chayotes have only a single large seed. Since the gourd contains a single seed, the entire chayote is often planted, rather than trying to extract the seed before planting. Chayote fruits become more bitter as they mature, and for this reason they are typically eaten when they are young. Loofah or vegetable sponges come from the fibrous interior of two species of gourds native to tropical Asia. The common vegetable sponge (Luffa aegyptiaca) has a smooth outer rind, while the fruits of L. acutangula have prominent longitudinal ridges. Although the immature loofah gourds are used for food in the orient, both species are more widely used as natural scouring pads.

They have been introduced throughout the world, and common loofah gourds even hang from telephone poles in Honduras. Loofah sponges are recommended for removing dry, dead skin cells from your arms and legs, but it is doubtful that they can really break up cellulite (as some labels state). The fabulous melon varieties, including cantaloupe, honey dew, santa claus, casaba and banana come from the Old World Cucumis melo. The remarkable variety of melons certainly includes some of the juiciest, sweetest and most delicious fruits on earth. The infamous cucumber, precursor of pickles, comes from another old world species C. sativus. Popular, fuzzy teasel gourds and horned cucumbers (hedgehog gourds) also come from two different species of Cucumis, including C. dipsaceus and C. metuliferus, respectively. Genetics Of The Triploid Seedless Watermelon Modern varieties of the watermelon are derived from the native African vine Citrullus lanatus (syn. C. vulgaris).

Cultivated for thousands of years in the Nile Valley, this species still grows wild in the arid interior where it supplies native people with water during drought seasons. According to R.W. Robinson and D.S. Decker-Walters (1997), wild populations of C. lanatus var. citroides, which are common in central Africa, probably gave rise to domesticated watermelons (var. lanatus). Wild, ancestral watermelons (var. citroides) have a spherical, striped fruit, and white, slightly bitter or bland flesh. The pale flesh tastes like the rind of a typical watermelon. They are commonly known as the citron or citron melon, not to be confused with the "citron" Citrus medica of the Citrus Family (Rutaceae). The citron is also called "preserving melon" because the fruit rind is used in preserves, jellies and to make pickles or conserves. Because of its high pectin content, it is added to fruit juices to make them jell more rapidly. One plant may produce up to 100 fruits, which are commonly fed to livestock.

Citron melons become weedy vines in cultivated melon fields of North America, and are unmistakable among other cucurbits because of their pinnatifid (pinnately dissected) leaves. The citron is naturalized in the Cape Region of Baja California, along with the curious teasel gourd. See Citron Growing Wild Along RR Tracks In San Diego County Modern triploid watermelons (with three haploid sets of chromosomes) are unable to produce viable gametes during meiosis, and much to the delight of growers, their ripened melons are seedless. [Note: The word "set" is defined here as one haploid set of chromosomes.] They are produced by crossing a tetraploid (4n) seed parent bearing 2n eggs with a diploid (2n) pollen parent bearing haploid (n) sperm. Tetraploid plants are produced by treating the terminal buds of diploid plants with colchicine, causing the chromosome number of the meristematic cells inside to double.

The haploid (n) sperm from a pollen grain from the male flower of the 2n parent fertilizes the diploid (2n) egg inside the ovule of a female flower on the 4n parent. The resulting 3n zygote develops into a 3n embryo inside a seed. Planting this seed will yield a 3n watermelon plant bearing 3n seedless watermelons. The following illustration shows this cross resulting in a triploid watermelon plant: The triploid seed will germinate and grow into a triploid plant bearing triploid male and female flowers, but the flowers will not produce viable sperm-bearing pollen or eggs because of the odd number of chromosome sets (3). With three sets of chromosomes, one set will not have a matching (homologous) set to pair up with during synapsis of prophase 1 of meiosis. This synaptic failure results in gametes that are not viable, therefore double fertilization inside the ovule does not occur and an embryo-bearing seed is not typically formed. When you buy seedless watermelon seeds, you get two kinds of seeds, one for the fertile diploid plant and one for the sterile triploid.

The triploid seeds are larger, and both types of seeds are planted in the same vicinity. Male flowers of the diploid plant provide the pollen which pollinates (but does not fertilize) the sterile triploid plant. The act of pollination induces fruit development without fertilization, thus the triploid watermelons are seedless. Not all cultivated watermelons are red. This triploid, seedless variety has sweet, yellow flesh. Although the bitter gourd or bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is common throughout the New World tropics, it is actually native to the Old World. It is a common roadside weed on many islands of the Caribbean. At maturity, the warty, yellowish-orange gourd splits open revealing its striking seeds, each covered with a fleshy bright red layer called an aril. The attractive seeds are eaten and dispersed by birds. In addition to its acquired culinary value in soups and curries, the young gourds are used in folk medicine for an astonishing variety of ailments, from chronic colitis, leprosy and dysentery, to burns, gout, coughs, and severe menstrual periods.

The bitter taste is caused by a group of tetracyclic triterpenes called cucurbitacins which are found in many gourd species. Although toxic in concentrated dosages, cucurbitacins may have beneficial medicinal qualities, including the treatment of tumors. They have been isolated from a number of gourd species and have been used as vermifuges, emetics, narcotics and antimalarials. A mature bitter melon (Momordica charantia) that has split open, exposing several bright red seeds. Older references sometimes place the the Asian gourd called "luo han kuo" (also spelled luo han guo) in the genus (Momordica); however, it is listed in Cucurbits by R.W. Robinson and D.S. Decker-Walters (1997) as Siraitia grosvenorii and by S. Facciola (Cornucopia, 1998) as Thladiantha grosvenorii. Another common name is "Buddha's fruit", presumably because the pulp is extremely sweet.

A glycoside in the fruit called mogrol I-IV is 150 times sweeter than sucrose and may have economic potential as a non-caloric sweetener. Luo han kuo is widely used in Chinese tonic soups, often combined with "ma tsao" from jujube fruits (Ziziphus jujuba) soaked in sugar or honey, and mixed with sweet and bitter almonds. An extract from the fruit is made into a beverage that is bottled and sold in Asian markets. Dried luo han kuo (Siraitia grosvenorii) for sale in an Asian market. See The Chinese Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) Two more unusual Asian gourds are the snake gourd (Trichosanthes cucumerina) and the wax gourd (Benincasa hispida). Both species are grown for food in tropical Asia, but become quite bitter with age. Like its common name implies, the snake or serpent gourd in very long and slender, reaching 6 feet (2 m) in length. The showy, fragrant, white flowers have striking corolla lobes fringed with long hairs.

Wax gourds have a whitish coating of wax, and according to C.B. Heiser (The Gourd Book, 1979), they have actually been used to make candles. Like many cucurbits, the foliage and young gourds are hispid, a botanical term meaning rough-hairy. The Remarkable Coyote Melon An interesting native perennial gourd that grows wild along roadsides and open fields throughout southern California is the coyote melon (Cucurbita foetidissima). It is also called buffalo gourd or calabazilla. The coarse, gray-green foliage gives off a fetid "underarm" odor, hence the specific epithet of "foetidissima" (very fetid). Two related species (C. palmata and C. digitata) grow on the desert side of the mountains, and extend into Arizona and Mexico. The striped, green gourds are fibrous and unpalatable inside, but ground seeds were eaten by native Indians, and the dried gourds were used as rattles in dances. During fall when the melons are ripe and plentiful, the flat, watermelon-like seeds are often found in coyote scat.

The coyote melon is well-adapted to dry, sandy soils with an immense, taproot that may extend several feet into the ground. The taproot often sends out many lateral, sprouting branches, and this vine can become an invasive weed in vegetable gardens. Scientists are experimenting with hybrid buffalo gourds as a food crop in the vast Middle East deserts. The seeds are a vital source of protein-rich oil in parched desert lands. The vines can be propagated readily and they resprout each year, thus eliminating the need for buying fresh hybrid seed each year. A similar sprawling, perennial melon along roadsides of Arizona and New Mexico is loco melon (Apodanthera undulata). Like coyote melon it grows from an immense taproot, but unlike coyote melon, its curious gourds have prominent longitudinal ribs. Another interesting "melon de coyote" (Ibervillea sonorae var. peninsularis) is endemic to the Cape Region of Baja California and several of the Gulf Islands. It is a climbing perennial with a large, tuberous taproot and bright red melons which are smaller than Cucurbita. Another species (I.

insularis is endemic to the mid-peninsular Pacific coast and some of the adjacent Pacific islands. The Baja California peninsula also has several fascinating gourd species with minute, prickly fruits, including Brandegea bigelovii, Cyclanthera tamnoides, Echinopepon minimus, Sicyos peninsularis and Vaseyanthus brandegei. Female flower of coyote melon (Cucurbita foetidissima) showing 3-lobed stigma. A pollen-laden honey bee is deep in this blossom sipping nectar. The Amazing Hard-Shelled Lagenaria Gourds Most hard-shelled gourds come from the Old World Lagenaria siceraria. So important were these gourds in the daily lives of native people, that they were introduced into human cultures throughout the world. Probably their most important use was for containers, including pots, pans and bowls, and these gourds are still used to this day in many parts of the world. For water vessels, they are still preferred over earthenware jars because they are lighter and they cool the water by evaporation.

In addition to containers and eating utensils, Lagenaria gourds are used for fishing floats, rafts, pipes and snuffboxes. Many of these fascinating uses are discussed by C.B. Heiser in The Gourd Book, 1979. The familiar bottle gourds and large Indian gourds of Arizona and Mexico, including giant bule, bilobial and gooseneck gourds, come from Lagenaria siceraria. In fact, when one uses the term "gourd" they are probably referring to this widespread species. Mature Lagenaria gourds come in an astonishing array of shapes and sizes, from tiny gourds only a few inches (5 cm) long to giants over seven feet (2 m) in length. Some of the distinctive varietal forms include "dumbbell," "club", "dipper", "powder-horn", "kettle," "dolphin", "trough" and "snake" gourds. With rich soil, ample sunlight and water, they grow readily in warm temperate and tropical regions throughout the world.

Lagenaria plants in June 2007 at the Welburn Gourd Farm in De Luz, California. Lagenaria gourds in drying bins at the Welburn Gourd Farm in De Luz, California. Small, cleaned gourds for sale at the Welburn Gourd Farm in De Luz, California. A beautiful, painted gourd on display at the International Gourd Festival held annually at the Welburn Gourd Farm in De Luz, California. The artist is Marilyn Sunderland . Engraved & burned (burilado) Lagenaria gourds from Peru. The beautiful and intricate designs were made by artist Julio Seguil Ríos using precision wood-burning tools. They are available from Señior Ríos at juliosequil@hotmail.com. Close-up view of artist Julio Seguil Ríos creating intricate designs on a small Peruvian gourd using a wood-burning tool. A hippo gourd from "Gourd Art" in the Old Town Market, San Diego. According to L.H. Bailey (The Garden Of Gourds, 1956), the original range for L. siceraria is probably tropical Africa and eastern India.

Larger vines require plenty of room, and may rampage fifty feet (15 m) or more. Unlike the golden yellow blossoms of Cucurbita gourds, the large, showy flowers of Lagenaria are white. They typically open at dusk and close the following morning. Like other members of the Cucurbitaceae, this species in monoecious and the pollen from male flowers is viable on female flowers of the same plant--hence, a single seed can start a sizable population of gourds. Although moths would seem to be the likely pollinator for nocturnal gourd blossoms, C.B. Heiser (1979) found that beetles feeding inside the male and female blossoms were the most important pollinators in his garden. Then in 1997, C.B. Heiser (The Cucubit Network News Vol. 4) reported nocturnal pollination by the large hawk moths Hyles lineata and Manduca quinquemaculata.

The larva of the latter species is better known to gardeners by its name of "tomato hornworm." Yerba Mate: A Tea From Argentina Some of the elaborate carved designs on Peruvian and African gourds (mostly varieties of Lagenaria) are absolutely amazing. In Argentina a small gourd is made into a special cup for drinking "yerba mate," a popular tea brewed from the leaves of a native holly (Ilex paraguariensis). Mate is sipped through a perforated metal straw called a "bombilla." Mate gourds are often fashioned with silver rims or collars and support bases. Old mate gourds improve the flavor of this caffeine-rich tea and mate connoisseurs would never think of using glass, pottery mugs or styrafoam cups. Mate gourds and bombillas from Argentina. Yerba mate tea is sipped through the bombilla, a metal straw with perforations. Small pores allow the hot tea to flow into the lower, expanded end of the bombilla, but prevent leaf fragments from entering the straw.

Gourds To Make Music and Cover Your Penis Musical gourds from Africa and India, such as drums, lutes and sitars have beautiful, polished finishes decorated with beads and carved designs. Some of the earliest guitars and violins in the United States were made from gourds by African slaves. Shaker gourds are probably one of the earliest of all musical instruments. In Africa, hollow gourds are covered with a loose netting strung with hundreds of beads from Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi). The tear-shaped "bead" is actually a hollow involucre that contained the female flowers of this pantropical grass. As the beads slap against the gourd, a loud shaker sound is produced--as good as any modern instrument for this purpose. Using the neck of the gourd as a handle, the sound is amplified by the hollow interior. African gourds, including shaker gourd with a loose net of Job's tear beads. The job's tear beads come from the perennial grass (Coix lacryma-jobi).

See Article About Wild Grass Called Job's Tears But of all the uses for gourds, some of the most interesting are the "penis sheath gourds" worn by men of New Guinea. Penis gourds are also known from Africa and northern South America. There is considerable speculation among anthropologists about the purpose of such gourds, but most agree that they are more than a protective device and serve an important social function. RECIPE PUMPKIN - AA recipe article RECIPE PUMPKIN - AA recipe article 32 Views Pumpkin derives its name from the ancient Greek 'pepon' meaning large melon, and it's that time of the year when we should be enjoying pumpkins in abundance. But I hear they are a little worse for wear at the moment due to the inclement weather, but hopefully we will see a bumper harvest in time for halloween. On my trip to the supermarkets all I could find were butternut 'squash', so thats what I will be making soup out of over the weekend. Pumpkins are a vaulable commodity in the catering trade, not just for cooking bit also for buffet displays.

We carve them into all sorts of shapes, sizes and transform these glorious foods into something even more glorious. I will post some of my own pics later, but in the meantime have a look at a colleague's website to see what I mean - vegetable or fruit? Not an overly massive hit in the UK yet, but around the world these beautiful fruits are really enjoyed and almost celebrated. Yes, I did say fruit. While thought of and used as a vegetable by many, it is in fact a fruit just like cucumbers, tomatoes and aubergines to name a few. Its easy to tell a fruit from a vegetable, if it has seeds its a fruit! The flower of the pumpkin plant can also be eaten when young, stuffed or lightly battered they are delicious pumpkin or squash? technically, pumpkins are a member of the squash family (as are courgettes, cucumbers and melons) and depending on which country you live in, they could be called all be called pumpkins, all called squashes, or the round ones, pumpkins and the elongated ones, squash (which can also be known by the name of gourd) Gourd, squash .......

"I say tomahto, you say tomAto", I generally refer to them all as pumpkin. varieties there are, if your lucky so many varieties to enjoy; acorn, butternut, kabocha, golden nugget and of course the jack o lantern variety (the bright orange type used for carving at Halloween). Try this website for a look at just a few of the many varieties: . Although one of my great favourites and always a hit when served, has to be the stunning spaghetti squash. They can be either pear shaped or long and rounded and when cooked whole (usually via baking) and the flesh 'stirred' with a fork, resembles long strands of spagehtti and can be used as a great vegen alternative to pasta nutrition they are incredibly nutritious, rich in vital anti oxidants and vitamins A, C & E. They are low in calories and apparently regular consumption helps control cholesterol storing of whole pumpkins are best stored in a cool, dark area and ensure they are lifted off the ground to allow air circulation. Even a layer of cardboard, or a scrunched up newspaper nest is better than placing straight onto the floor.

If stored correctly (no lower than 10C) they will keep for weeks and weeks cut pumpkins however, can be stored short term (up to 10 days) in the refrigerator. If you are storing a half pumpkin, make sure the seeds and the soft, stringy flesh attached to them is removed priior to storing. Once prepped, I usually wrap in newspaper. Never wrap in cling film as this encourages it to sweat and will cause it to rot quicker preparation of If I have a large (round) pumpkin and only need say one half of it, I always recommend cutting it in half horizontally along the equator, rather than bisecting it vertically. My way is a little tricker but it makes it easier to scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh it creates a well in the centre to place a liquid; like chicken stock or orange juice (see recipes later) it sits nicely on tray and wont topple allows you to bake or roast the half, as is.

Which cooks a lot more even then if it is cut up once cooked it is easier to cut into nice wedges for portions, that present better than chunks makes it easier (and safer) to cut nice wedges if you want to pre-cut prior to cooking. I love this last way when I roast them, as each neat segment can take on that lovely browning, which is a result of the natural sugars caramelising. Hence the sweeter flavour, browned food items have (like roast potatoes or toast compared to plain bread, or the crust compared to the inner crumb of bread) safety No matter which way you prepare raw pumpkin, be very careful ! It is far too easy to slip with the knife and do yourself a mischief anchor the pumpkin to the chopping board by placing a wet towel underneath it use a knife, that's blade only just reaches the center, a large knife will be harder to control keep fingers well away from the blade at all times never apply excess pressure. Applying excess pressure is a sure way to slip and have an accident. cooking of Baked, roasted, bbq'd or pureed they are delicious. But I never recommend boiling them, as they can get water logged and easily over cooked.

But if you must boil them, remember the great rule of thumb when 'vegetable' cooking is "If they grow below ground place in cold, salted water. If they grow above the ground, place in boiling salted water". This rule applies because those grown below the ground have a tougher, hardier flesh and need gentle cooking, while those above the ground (as pumpkins do) are much more tender and need to be cooked quickly. Cooking via the dry methods of cookery; baking, roasting etc compliments pumpkin so well, with no water to dilute the flavour, the reverse happens. Natural moisture is evaporated during baking etc, intensifying the flavour and if allowed to brown (especially when roasting) they take on a natural, mouth watering sweetness.

So even if you want a puree for puree sake, to make a scrummy pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup or even a pumpkin ice cream (yes, I kid you not) etc bake it first, scoop out the flesh and then puree it recipes Pumpkin: A Brief History // Missouri Environment and Garden News Article // Integrated Pest Management, University of Missouri trinkleind@missouri.edu Published: October 4, 2013 Few horticultural crops signal the arrival of autumn more so than pumpkin. This fall, millions of Americans will make an annual pilgrimage to a retail outlet to purchase a vegetable they (unfortunately) are very unlikely to eat. While many people throughout the world use pumpkin as a staple in their daily diet, in the United States this colorful member of the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family is used primarily for decoration. Halloween and Thanksgiving just would not be complete without pumpkins to add a festive air to the observation of these two events. October is an appropriate month to take a closer look at this fall favorite. Pumpkin derived its name from the Greek word “pepon” which, literally interpreted, means “large melon”.

The French word for “pepon” was “pompon” and the English changed the latter to “pumpion”. American colonists are credited with changing “pumpion” to “pumpkin”, the name which still is associated with this vegetable. Pumpkin is somewhat of a generic name assigned to several members of the genus Curcubita. They include C. maxima, C. moschata and C. pepo. The names pumpkin and winter squash commonly are used for all of these species also. However, most authorities place the large, orange fruit sold for autumn decoration in the species C. maxima, and assign winter squash as a common name to the other two species. Interestingly, the canned product sold for making pumpkin pies actually is C. moschata, a species of winter squash. Archeological evidence suggests that pumpkins and winter squash are native to the Americas from the southwestern part of what is now the United States through Mexico and Central America and south into Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Pumpkins have been cultivated since about 3500 B.C. rivaling it with maize (corn) as one of the oldest known crops in the western hemisphere.

Native Americans are said to have roasted long strips of pumpkin on an open fire and then consumed them. They also dried pumpkin strips and wove them into mats. Presumably, American colonists relied heavily on pumpkin as a food source as evidenced by this poem (circa 1630): “For pottage and puddings and custard and pies, Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies: We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon, If it were not for pumpkins, we should be undoon.” One way colonists are thought to have prepared pumpkins was to slice off their tops, remove the seeds and refill the inside with a mixture of milk, spices and honey. The resultant concoction was baked in hot ashes and is said to be the origin of our modern pumpkin pie. Columbus was known to have taken pumpkin seeds back to Europe on one of his excursions. However, pumpkins are warm season vegetables that require a relative long growing season. Thus, they never have gained popularity in northern Europe and the British Isles where the summer temperatures are not conducive to their growth. Today, pumpkins still are valuable as a food crop but are more widely used for their ornamental value.

Brightly colored, orange pumpkins are a staple for fall decoration especially around Halloween when frightening faces are carved into them to form jack-o-lanterns. Although jack-o-lanterns have been carved by people for centuries, the use of pumpkins to make them is relatively new and originated in America. Jack-o-lanterns originated in Ireland where, according to Irish myth, a notorious character by the name of “Stingy Jack” succeeded in tricking the devil on several occasions through the course of his life, much to the devil’s annoyance. Upon his death, Stingy Jack appeared at the gates of hell to learn his eternal fate. The devil, having been fooled by him on several prior occasions, refused to let him enter. Instead, he sent Jack off into the dark night with a burning lump of coal to guide his way. According to legend, Jack put the glowing coal into a hollowed out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever since. Immigrants arriving in America continued the tradition of making jack-o-lanterns but found pumpkins much easier to carve than turnips.

The association of jack-o-lanterns with Halloween is related to the Celtic festival of Samhain, observed on October 31st–the Celtic equivalent to our New Year’s Eve. The Celts believed the spirits of the dead (including Stingy Jack) roamed the earth on that night. Pumpkins are heat-loving plants and should not be planted until the soil has thoroughly warmed in the spring. Early June is a suggested planting date for most areas in Missouri. Select a location with good soil that is well-drained and has few perennial weeds. Avoid areas that have received herbicides the previous year aimed at broad-leaf weed control since these compound can carry over to the following year. Pumpkins are vigorous growers and heavy feeders that require adequate nutrition to produce a good crop. Follow soil test recommendations or apply about 1000 pounds of a starter fertilizer such as 5-10-10 per acre (10 pounds per 100 feet of row) when preparing soil for planting.

Later, when the vines start to “run” (reach a length of 12 - 15 inches) sidedress with 20 to 30 pounds of actual nitrogen and 60 to 100 pounds of actual potassium (K2O) per acre (one pound of 13-0-44 per 100 feet of row). The ideal soil pH for pumpkin production is between 6.0 and 6.5. Spacing pumpkins depends upon variety. Most of the older, large-fruited varieties produce very vigorous vines that can spread up to 18 feet. Traditionally, these types are spaced 12 to 15 feet between rows and 2 to 4 feet between plants within the rows. Newer, semi-dwarf varieties can be planted in rows 9 to 12 feet apart with plants 2 feet apart within the rows. Dwarf pumpkins can be planted even more closely leaving only 6 to 8 feet between rows and 2 feet between plants within the rows. The use of black plastic mulch will both conserve moisture and help control weeds within the rows.

Because of their lush vegetative growth, pumpkins are prone to insect and disease infestation. Squash bug, squash vine borer, cucumber beetle and aphids are some of the more troublesome insects that attack pumpkins. Timely applications of pesticides labeled for these insects (e.g. endosulfan and carbaryl) can help to minimize damage. Monitoring insect populations by inspection or through the use of traps is essential for proper timing of pesticide applications. Problematic diseases of pumpkins include powdery mildew, angular leaf spot, black rot, gummy stem blight, mosaic virus and bacterial wilt. Strict sanitation including the removal or turning under of all plant residue between crops is the first line of defense against disease infestation. Following that, preventative fungicides (e.g. chlorothalonil) are very effective in protecting pumpkins from disease problems caused by fungi. Weeds tend to reduce both yield and quality of pumpkins by competing for sun, water and plant nutrients. Additional to the use of mulch, hand cultivation during the early stages of growth is essential for good weed control. Once the vines start to run, weed control becomes difficult unless herbicides are used.

Trifluralin, clomazone and ethalfluralin are examples of herbicides that have been successfully used for weed control in pumpkins. With these or any other pesticides applied, always read and follow label directions. Harvesting pumpkins at full maturity is essential for high quality and good storage life. Maturity occurs when the shell (rind) has completely hardened. Fruits destined for storage should be allowed to undergo a curing process after harvesting by exposing them for about two weeks to temperatures in the 75 to 85 degree F. range along with good air circulation. Avoid waiting until after a hard frost to harvest pumpkins since this will adversely affect storage. A portion of the stem (i.e., the “handle”) should be left attached to the pumpkin since this usually makes them more decorative. As previously mentioned, pumpkins are a valuable food crop and an important part of the diet of many people worldwide. They are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber. A study by the USDA indicated that diets high in pumpkin as a fiber source tended to curb the appetite. The subjects in this study also absorbed less fat and calories from their food.

Additionally, pumpkins are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron. A cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains only 49 calories. Pumpkin trivia: Pumpkin History - Pumpkins and More - University of Illinois Extension University of Illinois Extension En Español Pumpkin History References to pumpkins date back many centuries. The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for "large melon" which is "pepon." "Pepon" was nasalized by the French into "pompon." The English changed "pompon" to "Pumpion." Shakespeare referred to the "pumpion" in his Merry Wives of Windsor. American colonists changed "pumpion" into "pumpkin." The "pumpkin" is referred to in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater and Cinderella. Native Americans dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. They also roasted long strips of pumpkin on the open fire and ate them. The origin of pumpkin pie occurred when the colonists sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in hot ashes.

History of the Jack-o-Lantern People have been making jack-o-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack." According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years. Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven.

The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern." In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o'lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack o'lanterns. Source: The History Channel

Question: Which vegetable, a gourd-like squash, derives its name from the Greek for 'large melon'?
Answer: PUMPKIN