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Edible Gardens
Join Us for a Parade of Pumpkins
Fall eye candy: Get to know 9 winter squash varieties, including Long Island Cheese and Blue Hubbard
Fall is synonymous with pumpkins, squashes and gourds. The orange, green and tan-colored beauties are abundant at local markets and roadside stands and make an ideal decorative accent for tabletop or porch. Their rich flesh can also be used in hearty soups and desserts. We’ve rounded up nine interesting varieties for a look at their distinguishing characteristics.
Name: Long Island Cheese, Cucurbita moschata.
Origins: East Coast heirloom long remembered as a great pie squash by people in New York and New Jersey. Introduced in 1807 by Bernard McMahon of Philadelphia.
Distinguishing visual traits: Smooth and medium- to large-ribbed skin, flattened just like a wheel of cheese. Slender woody stem and butternut-like color. Plants have vigorous vines and heavy leaf cover.
More: Moderately sweet flesh that’s great for pies.
Origins: East Coast heirloom long remembered as a great pie squash by people in New York and New Jersey. Introduced in 1807 by Bernard McMahon of Philadelphia.
Distinguishing visual traits: Smooth and medium- to large-ribbed skin, flattened just like a wheel of cheese. Slender woody stem and butternut-like color. Plants have vigorous vines and heavy leaf cover.
More: Moderately sweet flesh that’s great for pies.
Name: Red Warty Thing, Cucurbita maxima.
Origins: Marblehead, Massachusetts, in 1897.
Distinguishing visual traits: The name is truly fitting for this wart-covered pumpkin with bright red skin.
More: The golden-orange, fine-grained flesh tastes as great as it looks and is ideal for baking, roasting, pies and other desserts. Stores extremely well.
Origins: Marblehead, Massachusetts, in 1897.
Distinguishing visual traits: The name is truly fitting for this wart-covered pumpkin with bright red skin.
More: The golden-orange, fine-grained flesh tastes as great as it looks and is ideal for baking, roasting, pies and other desserts. Stores extremely well.
Name: One Too Many, Cucurbita maxima.
Origins: Developed by Rupp Seeds as a decorative pumpkin.
Distinguishing visual traits: These unusual and round or oblong-shaped ornamental pumpkins can look like a bloodshot eyeball. They have a white background accented with stripey veins and speckles of red.
More: They’re edible, but they’re more popular as Halloween decorations.
Origins: Developed by Rupp Seeds as a decorative pumpkin.
Distinguishing visual traits: These unusual and round or oblong-shaped ornamental pumpkins can look like a bloodshot eyeball. They have a white background accented with stripey veins and speckles of red.
More: They’re edible, but they’re more popular as Halloween decorations.
Name: Cinderella, Cucurbita maxima.
Origin: French heirloom introduced in the United States by W. Atlee Burpee in 1883.
Distinguishing visual traits: It’s easy to see how the softly flattened top and ridged, orange skin could have inspired Cinderella’s carriage in Charles Perrault’s classic French fairy tale.
More: The flesh is prized for its sweet flavor and creamy texture, making it ideal for desserts.
Origin: French heirloom introduced in the United States by W. Atlee Burpee in 1883.
Distinguishing visual traits: It’s easy to see how the softly flattened top and ridged, orange skin could have inspired Cinderella’s carriage in Charles Perrault’s classic French fairy tale.
More: The flesh is prized for its sweet flavor and creamy texture, making it ideal for desserts.
Name: Lumina, Cucurbita maxima.
Origins: Native to North America, with origins in Central America.
Distinguishing visual traits: Ghostly white smooth-skin variety is the perfect canvas for painting and carving, especially with its contrasting bright-orange flesh.
More: Great for pies, waffles, tarts and flan.
Origins: Native to North America, with origins in Central America.
Distinguishing visual traits: Ghostly white smooth-skin variety is the perfect canvas for painting and carving, especially with its contrasting bright-orange flesh.
More: Great for pies, waffles, tarts and flan.
Name: Jarrahdale, Cucurbita maxima.
Origins: Town of Jarrahdale, New Zealand.
Distinguishing visual traits: Heirloom pumpkin with blue-green skin, firm ribbing and a flattened shape.
More: Its slightly sweet, almost fruity, golden-yellow flesh is great for cooking and baking.
Origins: Town of Jarrahdale, New Zealand.
Distinguishing visual traits: Heirloom pumpkin with blue-green skin, firm ribbing and a flattened shape.
More: Its slightly sweet, almost fruity, golden-yellow flesh is great for cooking and baking.
Name: Gooseneck gourd, Lagenaria siceraria. (The botanical name is from the word for “flask” in Greek and Latin.)
Origins: Probably North America.
Distinguishing visual traits: The fruit of this gourd has a long neck that resembles the neck and head of a swan.
More: This ornamental variety is one of many of the bottle gourds, along with those that can be turned into birdhouses, toys, musical instruments, cooking utensils and more by drying them after removing the flesh. Great for fall and winter decor.
Origins: Probably North America.
Distinguishing visual traits: The fruit of this gourd has a long neck that resembles the neck and head of a swan.
More: This ornamental variety is one of many of the bottle gourds, along with those that can be turned into birdhouses, toys, musical instruments, cooking utensils and more by drying them after removing the flesh. Great for fall and winter decor.
Name: Blue Hubbard, Cucurbita maxima.
Origins: James H. Gregory introduced this New England kabocha squash variety in 1909.
Distinguishing visual traits: Teardrop shape with bluish-gray skin.
More: The flesh is delicious and smells like fresh cucumber.
These pumpkins were photographed at Spina Farms in San Jose, California, and Webb Ranch in Portola Valley, California.
More
How to Grow Pumpkins
How to Grow Squash
Origins: James H. Gregory introduced this New England kabocha squash variety in 1909.
Distinguishing visual traits: Teardrop shape with bluish-gray skin.
More: The flesh is delicious and smells like fresh cucumber.
These pumpkins were photographed at Spina Farms in San Jose, California, and Webb Ranch in Portola Valley, California.
More
How to Grow Pumpkins
How to Grow Squash
Origins: Sydney, Australia, as early as 1918.
Distinguishing visual traits: Unusual bluish-gray-skin and triangular lobes.
More: Its dense, sweet flesh has no hole or seed cavity and is great cooked in just about everything, including soups, curries and baked goods.