Squash & Pumpkin Varieties

Winter Squash

• Winter squash is a hearty vegetable and is harvested and consumed after fully maturing, when its skin has turned into a hard rind. There are various types of winter squash, including swan white, which has a pale skin and yellow flesh, and the sweet-tasting honey boat, which bears green stripes. Butternut squash has a bell shape and a nutty flavor, while acorn squash has fibrous flesh that's good for baking. Buttercup squash has a very sweet flavor and is shaped like a turban.

Summer Squash

• Summer squashes are harvested before they mature fully, leaving them with a tender, easy to cut rind. Varieties of summer squash include scalloped squash, which has a flat, plate-like shape and wavy edges. Zucchini comes in shades of green and black and sprouts a single yellow blossom at its tip. Constricted neck squash has a wide base and a skinny neck, which can be straight or crooked and is typically yellow.

Pumpkin

• Pumpkins are members of the winter squash family. The round Aladdin pumpkin often used for jack o' lanterns is mildew-resistant, making it ideal for damp climates. Cinderella pumpkins are named for their resemblance to the fairy tale princess's coach and have a mild, pleasant flavor good for cooking. The howden and big rock pumpkin are both used for carving and have dark orange skins.

Gourds

• Gourds are members of the squash and pumpkin species; their rinds take on a woody texture when dried, and they have been used as containers and vessels for thousands of years. Hardshell gourds have tough rinds several inches thick and include the round basketball gourd and the oblong banana gourd. Ornamental gourds have thin shells and are typically smaller; one example is the egg gourd, which is the shape and size of a chicken egg. Orange and pear gourds also resemble the fruits they are named after.