What canned pumpkin is really squash? The Libby's pumpkin is pumpkin. While pumpkin can be considered a round winter squash, we usually think of it in a class by itself. If you want to grow pumpkin and eat pumpkin pie, then you should plant pumpkin. I've grown pumpkins, they took over the back yard, they are hard to corral. A pumpkin big enough to use in a pie would be too heavy for a bush.

Good luck.

I did a search on semi-bush pumpkins and linked a list with several below. You'll have to research the individual names to find seed resources.HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: pumpkin varieties

I've used butternut squash for pumpkin pie and prefer the flavor. It tastes enough like pumpkin that nobody would notice if you didn't tell them. It's also the same color. And it's good in its own right. That would be my choice. Any ol' seed company should have them. Or buy one, make pie, and if you like it, save the seeds!

I use Kobacha squash (Japanese pumpkin) to replace canned pumpkin and it is very sweet. I have seeds saved from the ones I got at the market and will try growing them this year.

I generally use either butternut squash or Kobacha (which is known here as Jap or Kent pumpkin). Both are naturally sweet- it's very rare to get a bland flavoured one of either.

I love blue Hubbards best for everything that calls for pumpkin puree. I haven't grown them yet, though-- have no idea of their growing habits. The flavor is the best I've tasted, though.

I've done this when I had a biggish garden, and while I love to garden, I can't claim that home grown tasted vastly superior to canned. The Garden forums might be more help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Web Pie Pumpkin

I tried two different recipes for "fresh" pumpkin pie these past holidays, and I could not tell the difference from canned. Very disappointing since I'd gone out of my way to get sugar pumpkins, roasting, scraping etc.
And the color wasn't as orangy...kinda a bit baby poo color after it cooked. Sorry TMI :)

Pumpkin expert I'm not but I have made pies from pumpkins when I found pumpkins cheaply around here. I made the pies directly from the pumpkins and froze them. My kids loved them. I thought they were a little stringy but DH and kids didn't care. Wouldn't it be easier to find a farmers market or fruit stand around halloween and purchase your pumpkins for pies then? After halloween the pumpkin fields around here are littered with pumpkins. Probably what they sell for canning. I use a lot of pumpkin, canned, and perhaps it might be worthwhile to can your own.