SQUASH, GOURDS and PUMPKINS

As a general rule, cucurbitaceous plants prefer dry climates, and many are so riddled with disease in the humid tropics that production is impossible.  When there is a pronounced dry season it is often possible to grow the vines and produce fruit.

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Buffalo Gourd | Calabash | Luffa | Pepino de Comer | Seminole Pumpkin | Summer Squash | Tropical Pumpkin | Wax Gourd

Best cucurbit for seed oil in hot, humid tropics; flesh eaten like summer squash; fruit may be stored for many months at room temperature. It can be grown year round in tropical climates. Frost sensitive. Soil pH: 5.0-7.5

Roots are used as a firewood The seed is rich in oil and protein; requires long periods of warm, dry weather; American Indians used fruit, pulp, and vine for soap. However the vine has a foul smell! The crushed seeds yield a polyunsaturated oil, and the pulp is fed to cattle. Requires little water. Native to SW North America. Soil pH: 5.0-7.5.

Historically cultivated by native Americans in Florida, this plant produces relatively small fruits on vigorous vines (up to 3 m). The vines will spread along the surface of the ground, rooting at nodes, or they may be trellised. The flesh can be baked, fried, boiled, mashed, dried, and used in pies. Seeds can be roasted and eaten. Fruits fed as forage for cattle. Soil pH: 4.5-8.3.

Acorn: 90 days; small acorn shaped fruit; pale orange outside with dark orange flesh.

Crookneck: 90 days; large number of oblong pumpkins; light orange with orange flesh.

Billie Ingram: 90 days; large number of small pumpkins; variable fruit size; hardy performer.

Hardy: 90 days; produces a large number of pumpkins; oblong in shape; orange skin with orange flesh.

Seminole Tropical Mix: A mix of all Seminole pumpkin varieties currently in the seed bank.

These pumpkins originated in tropical South or Central America. This crop is similar to Seminole pumpkin in how it is cultivated and processed for food. Soil pH: 4.5-8.3.

Brian: ECHO's "Brian" variety. Beige, round, thick-fleshed. Vigorous; withstands hot, humid weather. Use like winter squash/pumpkin. Can be eaten as summer squash when immature. Plant in hills 3-4 ft apart.

Lloyd Marsh: Donated to ECHO by Lloyd Marsh, hence the name.  Squat, round fruit, thick flesh, excellent flavor.  A top performer in an ECHO trial.

A warm-season crop that should be planted when danger of frost is past. Best soil temperature for growth is 85 F. Performs best in well-drained, sandy loam soils with high organic matter. Waterlogged soils promote disease. Excess humidity and rain can also be prime conditions for fungus diseases to develop on the vine. Squash is usually harvested immature and flesh is cooked or stir-fried. In arid regions irrigation should be established. Soil pH: 4.5-8.3

Gentry: About 43 days to maturity; squash deep golden yellow in color and reaches 5.5-6 inches in length and is semi-crookneck shape; plant is open, vigorous bush. Consistent yields of smooth skinned fruit. Hybrid.

Spineless Beauty: A hybrid zucchini squash that takes about 43 days to reach maturity. Fruit color is medium green and cylindrical fruits reach 7.5-8.5 inches in length. Open habit growth w/ spineless petioles. Continous setting with high yields.

Dunja: A hybrid zucchini with shiny, finely speckled fruits, dark green in colour, medium long and of excellent quality. Another great advantage of this variety is its resistance to many viruses (ZYMV, WMII and PRSV) and mildew. 

Andean fruits similar to a hollow cucumber; may be stuffed before cooking or pickling. A gourd-like vegetable, 6-15cm long. The immature fruits and young shoots are eaten raw and cooked. Requires trellising. Relatively cold tolerant.

Can be used as containers/vessels; fruits edible only when small; leaves and young shoots used as potherbs; seed yields an oil used in cooking; vegetable curd can be made from the seed; very prolific in subtropics. Immature fruits (before rinds harden) can be picked and prepared like summer squash. Tolerates heat and humidity better then most cucurbits. Soil pH: 4.5-7.5.

Bottle Gourd: Mature fruits can be made into bottles or bird houses when dry.  Young, immature fruit can be eaten like zucchini.  Images gourd | seed

Bushel Gourd: This vigorous vine produces gourds the size of bushel baskets.  Fruits edible only when small but are generally not eaten. Images gourd | seed

Cucuzzi, 'Longissima': This variety is best when used as a vegetable, eating the young immature fruits.  Images gourd | seed

Vigorous climbing vine; fruit also used as sponge; seed is toxic. Well adapted to warm dry tropics, but can be grown in wet tropics. The vines are frost sensitive. The sponges from these gourds are popular in the cosmetic industry. Both acutangula and cylindrica will cross pollinate with if within 1500 feet of each other.

L. acutangula, Angled/Ridged Luffa: Preferred as vegetable; ridged fruit eaten when young.

L. cylindrica, Smooth Luffa: Preferred for making sponges; smooth fruit; edible when young.