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{{Short description|Category of culinary winter Cucurbita squashes}}
{{Other uses}} {{Other uses}}
{{pp-semi-indef}} {{pp-protected|small=yes}}
{{pp-move-indef}} {{pp-move}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
] in New Orleans, Louisiana]]
]'', all others are '']'']]
]


A '''pumpkin''' is a ] ] in the genus '']''.<ref name="Ferriol" /><ref name="USARS">{{Cite book |last=United States Agricultural Research Service. Crops Research Division |url=http://archive.org/details/CAT70292885 |title=Growing pumpkins and squashes ] |work=Garden Help FAQ}}</ref>
]


The use of the word "pumpkin" is thought to have originated in ] in North America, derived from a word for ], or a native word for round. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "]" or "winter squash", and is commonly used for some cultivars of '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''.<ref name="Ferriol" />
A '''pumpkin''' is a ] of a ], most commonly of '']'', that is round, with smooth, slightly ribbed skin, and deep yellow to orange coloration. The thick shell contains the seeds and pulp. Some exceptionally large ] of ] with similar appearance have also been derived from '']''.


''C. pepo'' pumpkins are among the oldest known domesticated plants, with evidence of their cultivation dating to between 7000 ] and 5500 BCE. Wild species of '']'' and the earliest domesticated species are native to ] (parts of present-day northeastern ] and the southern ]), but cultivars are now grown globally for culinary, decorative, and other culturally-specific purposes.<ref name="illinoisext">{{cite web |last1=Wolford |first1=Ron |first2=Drusilla |last2=Banks |title=Pumpkins and More |year=2008 |publisher=University of Illinois Extension |access-date=February 19, 2008 |url=http://urbanext.illinois.edu/pumpkins/}}</ref>
Specific cultivars of ] derived from other species, including '']'', and '']'', are also sometimes called "pumpkin".


The pumpkin's thick shell contains edible seeds and pulp. ] is a traditional part of ] meals in ] and the United States and pumpkins are frequently used as autumnal seasonal decorations and carved as ]s for decoration around ]. Commercially canned pumpkin ] and pie fillings are usually made of different pumpkin varieties from those intended for decorative use.<ref name="preservation-processing">{{Cite book | title=Handbook of Vegetable Preservation and Processing|date=2003-09-12 |chapter=Canned Vegetables: Product Descriptions |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9780203912911-13/canned-vegetables-product-descriptions-peggy-stanfield |language=en |pages=163–191 |publisher=CRC Press |doi=10.1201/9780203912911 |isbn=9780203912911 |editor-last1=Hui |editor-last2=Ghazala |editor-last3=Graham |editor-last4=Murrell |editor-last5=Nip |editor-first1=Y. H |editor-first2=Sue |editor-first3=Dee M |editor-first4=K.D |editor-first5=Wai-Kit }}</ref>
In ] and ], the term ''pumpkin'' generally refers to the broader category called winter squash elsewhere.<ref name="Ferriol">{{cite book |last1=Ferriol |first1=María |last2=Picó |first2=Belén |year=2007 |title=Handbook of Plant Breeding: Vegetables I |publisher=Springer |location=New York |chapter=3 |isbn=978-0-387-72291-7 |page=317 |quote=The common terms "pumpkin", "squash", "gourd", "cushaw", "ayote", "zapallo", "calabaza", etc. are often applied indiscriminately to different cultivated species of the New World genus ''Cucurbita'' L. (Cucurbitaceae): ''C.&nbsp;pepo'' L., ''C.&nbsp; maxima'' Duchesne, ''C.&nbsp;moschata'' Duchesne, ''C.&nbsp;argyrosperma'' C.&nbsp;Huber and ''C.&nbsp;ficifolia'' Bouché.}}</ref>


==Etymology and terminology==
Native to ],<ref name="Robinson y Decker-Walters 1997">{{cite web|authors=Robinson, RW, Decker-Walters, DS|year=1997|title=Cucurbits|publisher=Cab International|ISBN=0-85199-133-5|url=http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19970300408.html;jsessionid=58661EEC5A2B58E459CE54337E2ACBC0}}</ref> pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use and are used both in food and recreation. ], for instance, is a traditional part of ] meals in ] and the ], although commercially canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie fillings are usually made from different kinds of winter squash than the pumpkins frequently carved as ]s for decoration around ].
According to the ], the English word ''pumpkin'' derives from the ] word {{lang|grc|πέπων}} (] {{transliteration|grc|pepōn}}), meaning 'melon'.<ref name="oed">{{cite web|date=2020|title=Pumpkin|url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=pumpkin|access-date=22 October 2020|publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper Ltd}}</ref><ref name="paris1989">{{cite journal | last1 = Paris | first1 = Harry S. | year = 1989 | title = Historical Records, Origins, and Development of the Edible Cultivar Groups of ''Cucurbita pepo'' (Cucurbitaceae) | journal = ] | volume = 43 | issue = 4 | pages = 423–443 | publisher = New York Botanical Garden Press | jstor = 4255187 | doi=10.1007/bf02935916| bibcode = 1989EcBot..43..423P | s2cid = 29052282 }}</ref> Under this theory, the term transitioned through the ] word {{lang|la|peponem}} and the ] word {{lang|frm|pompon}} to the ] {{lang|enm|pompion}}, which was changed to ''pumpkin'' by 17th-century English colonists, shortly after encountering pumpkins upon their arrival in what is now the northeastern United States.<ref name="oed" />


There is a proposed alternate derivation for ''pumpkin'' from the ] {{lang|wam|pôhpukun}}, meaning 'grows forth round'.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fun With Words|url=https://www.wlrp.org/fun-with-words|access-date=22 October 2020|website=Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project}}</ref> This term could have been used by the ] people (who speak the {{lang|wam|Wôpanâak}} dialect of Massachusett) when introducing pumpkins to English ] at ], located in present-day ].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kelly|first=Nataly|title=Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms The World|publisher=Perigee|year=2012|isbn=9780399537974|location=New York}}</ref> (The English word '']'' is derived from a Massachusett word, variously transcribed as {{lang|wam|askꝏtasquash}},<ref>{{Cite book|last=Trumbull|first=James Hammond|title=Natick Dictionary|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|year=1903|location=Washington|pages=224}}</ref> {{lang|wam|ashk8tasqash}}, or, in the closely related ], {{lang|xnt|askútasquash}}.)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition of Squash|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squash|access-date=22 October 2020|website=Merriam-Webster Dictionary}}</ref>
== Description ==
]
] attached to the ]]]


Researchers have noted that the term ''pumpkin'' and related terms like ''ayote'' and ''calabaza'' are applied to a range of winter squash with varying size and shape.<ref name="Ferriol">{{cite book |last1=Ferriol |first1=María |last2=Picó |first2=Belén |title=Vegetables I |series=Handbook of Plant Breeding |date=2008 |volume=1 |publisher=Springer |location=New York |chapter=Pumpkin and Winter Squash |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226740091 |doi=10.1007/978-0-387-30443-4_10 |isbn=978-0-387-72291-7 |page=317 |quote=The common terms "pumpkin", "squash", "gourd", "cushaw", "ayote", "zapallo", "calabaza", etc. are often applied indiscriminately to different cultivated species of the New World genus ''Cucurbita'' L. (Cucurbitaceae): ''C.&nbsp;pepo'' L., ''C.&nbsp; maxima'' Duchesne, ''C.&nbsp;moschata'' Duchesne, ''C.&nbsp;argyrosperma'' C.&nbsp;Huber and ''C.&nbsp;ficifolia'' Bouché.}}</ref> The term ''tropical pumpkin'' is sometimes used for pumpkin cultivars of the species ''Cucurbita moschata''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Andres |first=T.C. |date=2004 |title=Diversity in tropical pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata): cultivar origin and history |url=https://cucurbit.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cuc2004proceedings.pdf#page=113 |journal=Progress in Cucurbit Genetics and Breeding Research}}</ref>
Pumpkins, like other ], are thought to have originated in ]. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500&nbsp;BC, was found in ].<ref name="autogenerated2007" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Pumpkin |work=The Columbia Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=] |accessdate=19 February 2008 |url=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/4294972}}</ref>


== Description ==
Since some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used interchangeably. One often-used botanical classification relies on the characteristics of the stems: 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.<ref name="Van_Sci_Enc">cucurbitaceae. (1995). In ''Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia'' (8th ed.). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.</ref><ref name="Americana">pumpkin. (1992). In ''The Encyclopedia Americana International Edition''. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Incorporated.</ref> Pumpkin fruits are a type of botanical berry known as a ].<ref name="hypanthium">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldbotanical.com/fruit_types.htm |title=A Systematic Treatment of Fruit Types |publisher=Worldbotanical |accessdate=October 10, 2013}}</ref><ref name="schrager">{{cite book |last=Schrager|first=Victor |title=The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds |publisher=Artisan |location=New York |year=2004 |page=25 |isbn=978-1-57965-251-7}}</ref>
]'' pumpkin]]

Pumpkin fruits are a type of ] known as a ].<ref name="compleat">{{cite book |last=Goldman |first=Amy |title=The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds |publisher=Artisan |location=New York |year=2004 |url=https://archive.org/details/compleatsquashpa0000gold |isbn=978-1579652517}}</ref> Characteristics commonly used to define pumpkin include smooth and slightly ribbed skin<ref name=UFlor>{{cite web |url=http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/lawn_and_garden/pumpkins.html |title=Pumpkins in Florida |publisher=]}}</ref> and deep yellow to orange color,{{r|UFlor}} although white, green, and other pumpkin colors also exist.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=NBC News|title=White Pumpkins Hit the Halloween Market|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9827573|date=October 26, 2005|agency=Associated Press|access-date=October 9, 2013}}</ref>
]

Traditional ''C. pepo'' pumpkins generally weigh between {{convert|6|and|18|lb|kg|0|order=flip}}, though the largest cultivars (of the species ''C. maxima'') regularly reach weights of over {{convert|75|lb|kg|0|order=flip|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |title=Pumpkin |year=2007 |work=Encyclopædia Britannica Online |accessdate=November 28, 2007 |url=http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9061895}}</ref>

The color of pumpkins derives from orange ] pigments, including ], ] and ], all of which are ] compounds converted to ] in the body.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Food Chemistry|title=Changes in carotenoids during processing and storage of pumpkin puree|authors=Provesi JG, Dias CO, Amante ER|volume=128|issue=1|year=2011|pages=195–202|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814611004080|pmid=25214348|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.03.027}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The word ''pumpkin'' originates from the word ''pepon'' (πέπων), which is Greek for "large melon", something round and large.<ref name="paris1989">{{cite journal | last1 = Paris | first1 = Harry S. | year = 1989 | title = Historical Records, Origins, and Development of the Edible Cultivar Groups of ''Cucurbita pepo'' (Cucurbitaceae) | journal = ] | volume = 43 | issue = 4 | pages = 423–443 | publisher = New York Botanical Garden Press | jstor = 4255187 | doi=10.1007/bf02935916}}</ref> The ] adapted this word to ''pompon'', which the ] changed to ''pumpion'' and to the later American colonists became known as ''pumpkin''.<ref name="autogenerated2007">{{cite web |title=The Pumpkin Patch |year=2007 |url=http://www.pumpkin-patch.com |accessdate=19 February 2008}}</ref>


While '']'' pumpkins generally weigh between {{convert|6|and|18|lb|kg|0|order=flip}}, ]s can exceed a ] in mass.<ref name="borrell">{{cite web |author=Borrell, Brenda |date=October 2011 |title=The Great Pumpkin |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-great-pumpkin-74423844/?no-ist=&page=1 |access-date=October 31, 2016 |publisher=The Smithsonian Institution}}</ref><ref name="heaviest">{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/belgian-hopes-to-squash-italians-giant-pumpkin-record-htzdnvq0w |title=Belgian Mario Vangeel hopes to squash Italian's giant pumpkin record at world championship |work=The Times |date=2021-10-01 |access-date=2021-10-25 |author=Bruno Waterfield}}</ref> Most are varieties of '']'' that were developed through the efforts of ] and enthusiast farmers.<ref name="borrell" /> The largest ]s frequently reach weights of over {{convert|75|lb|kg|0|order=flip|abbr=on}}. In October 2023, the record for heaviest pumpkin was set at 1,246.9&nbsp;kg (2,749&nbsp;lbs.).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-10 |title=Pumpkin weighing 2,749 pounds wins contest and sets world record for biggest gourd |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pumpkin-weighing-2749-pounds-wins-contest-sets-world-record-biggest-go-rcna119649 |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>
== Terminology ==
The term ''pumpkin'' has no agreed upon botanical or scientific meaning,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/gardening-help-faqs.aspx?questionid=274&afmid=4462 |title=Horticulture Questions and Answers |publisher=] |work=Garden Help FAQ}}</ref> and is used interchangeably with "squash" and "winter squash" in some areas. In many areas, including North America and the ], ''pumpkin'' traditionally refers to only certain round, orange varieties of winter squash, predominantly derived from '']'', while in Australian English, ''pumpkin'' can refer to ] of any appearance.<ref name=Ferriol/>


== Taxonomy == == History ==
{{expand section|date=December 2022}}
All pumpkins are ]: mature fruit of certain species in the genus '']''. Characteristics commonly used to define "pumpkin" include smooth and slightly ribbed skin,<ref name=UFlor>{{cite web |url=http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/lawn_and_garden/pumpkins.html |title=Pumpkins in Florida |publisher=]}}</ref> and deep yellow to orange{{r|UFlor}} color. Circa 2005, white pumpkins had become increasingly popular in the United States.<ref name="">{{cite web|publisher=NBC News|title=White Pumpkins Hit the Halloween Market|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9827573/ns/us_news-life/t/white-pumpkins-hit-halloween-market/#.UlXl3hATXh0|date=October 26, 2005|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=October 9, 2013}}</ref> Other colors, including dark green (as with some ]), also exist.
The oldest evidence of '']'' are pumpkin fragments found in ] that are dated between 7,000 and 5,500&nbsp;BC.<ref name=Mass>{{cite web|title=Pick a Pumpkin from Massachusetts|url=https://blog.mass.gov/blog/living-in-massachusetts/pick-a-pumpkin-from-massachusetts-this-october/|website=Mass.gov|publisher=Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources}}</ref> Pumpkins and other squash species, alongside ] and ], feature in the ] method of ] practiced by many ].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mt.Pleasant |first=Jane |date=2016-11-10 |title=Food Yields and Nutrient Analyses of the Three Sisters: A Haudenosaunee Cropping System |url=https://ojs.ethnobiology.org/index.php/ebl/article/view/721 |journal=Ethnobiology Letters |language=en |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=87–98–87–98 |doi=10.14237/ebl.7.1.2016.721 |s2cid=67774658 |issn=2159-8126|doi-access=free }}</ref> However, larger modern pumpkin cultivars are typically excluded, as their weight may damage the other crops.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2022 |title=Plant a Three Sisters Garden: Corn, Beans, and Squash {{!}} The Old Farmer's Almanac |url=https://www.almanac.com/content/three-sisters-corn-bean-and-squash |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=www.almanac.com |language=en}}</ref> Within decades after Europeans began colonizing North America, illustrations of pumpkins similar to the modern cultivars ] and ] were published in Europe.<ref name="compleat" />


== Cultivation == == Cultivation ==
Pumpkins are a warm-weather crop that is usually planted by early July in the Northern Hemisphere. Pumpkins require that soil temperatures {{convert|3|in|cm|order=flip|0}} deep are at least {{convert|15.5|C|F|0}} and that the soil holds water well. Pumpkin crops may suffer if there is a lack of water, because of temperatures below {{convert|65|F|C|order=flip|0|disp=or}}, or if grown in soils that become waterlogged. Within these conditions, pumpkins are considered hardy, and even if many leaves and portions of the vine are removed or damaged, the plant can quickly grow secondary vines to replace what was removed.<ref name="psu" />


Pumpkins produce both a male and female flower, with fertilization usually performed by bees.<ref name="psu" /> In America, pumpkins have historically been ] by the native ], ''Peponapis pruinosa'', but that bee has ], probably partly due to ] (]) sensitivity.<ref name="williams">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Roger|url=http://projects.ipm.gov/ProjectDetails.cfm?project_ID=749|title=Effects of imidacloprid-based Insecticides on the Native Cucurbit Pollinator, ''Peponapis pruinosa''|publisher=US Interagency IPM Projects|year=2009|access-date=September 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028112305/https://projects.ipm.gov/ProjectDetails.cfm?project_ID=749|archive-date=October 28, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ground-based bees, such as squash bees and the ], are better suited to manage the larger pollen particles that pumpkins create.<ref name="canto">{{cite journal|last1=Canto-Aguilar|first1= M.L. |last2=Parra-Tabla|first2= V. |year=2000|title=Importance of Conserving Alternative Pollinators: Assessing the Pollination Efficiency of the Squash Bee, ''Peponapis limitaris'' in ''Cucurbita moschata'' (Cucurbitaceae)|journal= Journal of Insect Conservation|volume= 4|issue=3|pages=201–208|doi=10.1023/A:1009685422587|bibcode= 2000JICon...4..201C |s2cid= 9891755 }}</ref><ref name="tepedino">{{cite journal | last1 = Tepedino | first1 = V. J. | date=April 1981 | title = The pollination efficiency of the squash bee (''Peponapis pruinosa'') and the honey bee (''Apis mellifera'') on summer squash (''Cucurbita pepo'') | journal = Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society | volume = 54 | issue = 2 | pages = 359–377 | jstor = 25084168}}</ref> One hive per acre (0.4 hectares, or five hives per 2 hectares) is recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If there are inadequate bees for pollination, gardeners may have to ]. Inadequately pollinated pumpkins usually start growing but fail to develop.
Pumpkins are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons ranging from agricultural purposes (such as animal feed) to commercial and ornamental sales.<ref name="illinoisext">{{cite web |last1=Wolford |first1=Ron |first2=Drusilla |last2=Banks |title=Pumpkins and More |year=2008 |publisher=University of Illinois Extension |accessdate=19 Feb 2008 |url=http://urbanext.illinois.edu/pumpkins/}}</ref> Of the seven continents, only ] is unable to produce pumpkins; the biggest international producers of pumpkins include the ], ], Mexico, ], and ].<ref name="autogenerated2007" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Pumpkin Seeds |work=World's Healthiest Foods |year=2008 |publisher=The George Mateljan Foundation |accessdate=11 Feb 2008 |url=http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82#healthbenefits}}</ref> The traditional American pumpkin used for ]s is the ] variety.<ref name="illinoisext" /><ref name="richardsonrw">{{cite web|last=Richardson|first=R. W.|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/cgc_reports/squash95.pdf|title=Squash and Pumpkin|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System|format=PDF|accessdate=November 23, 2014}}</ref><ref name="ufl">{{cite web|last=Stephens|first=James M. |url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv116|title=Pumpkin — Cucurbita spp.|publisher=University of Florida|accessdate=November 23, 2014}}</ref><ref name="baggett">{{cite web|last=Baggett|first=J. R. |url=http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cgc/cgc02/cgc2-19.html|title=Attempts to Cross ''Cucurbita moschata'' (Duch.) Poir. 'Butternut' and ''C. pepo'' L. 'Delicata'|publisher=North Carolina State University|accessdate=November 23, 2014}}</ref>


=== In the United States === === Production ===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:12em; text-align:center;"
]]]
|+ Pumpkin production<br><small>2022, (millions of tonnes)<br/></small>
As one of the most popular crops in the United States, {{convert|1.5|e9lb|kg|order=flip|abbr=off}} of pumpkins are produced each year.<ref name="psu">{{cite web |first1=Michael D. |last1=Orzolek |first2=George L. |last2=Greaser |first3=Jayson K. |last3=Harper |title=Pumpkin Production |work=Agricultural Alternatives |year=2000 |publisher=Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences |accessdate=19 Feb 2008 |url=http://extension.psu.edu/business/ag-alternatives/horticulture/pumpkin-production}}</ref> The top pumpkin-producing ] include ], ], ], ], and California.<ref name="illinoisext" />
|-
| {{CHN}} || 7.3
|-
| {{UKR}} || 1.1
|-
| {{RUS}} || 1.1
|-
| {{USA}} || 1.0
|-
| {{MEX}} || 0.7
|-
| {{ESP}} || 0.7
|-
| '''World''' || '''22.8'''
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |<small>Source: ] of the ]</small><ref name="faostat">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|title= Pumpkin production in 2022 (includes squash and gourds), Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity (pick lists)|date=2024|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT)|access-date=31 August 2024}}</ref>
|}


In 2022, world production of pumpkins (including squash and gourds) was 23 million ]s, with China accounting for 32% of the total. Ukraine, Russia, and the United States each produced about one million tonnes.<ref name=faostat/>
According to the ], 95% of the U.S. crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |author=Illinois Department of Agriculture |title=Illinois Leads Nation in Pumpkin Production |url=http://www.agr.state.il.us/newsrels/r1022041.html |date=22 Oct 2004}}</ref> ], operating under the brand name '']'', produces 85% of the processed pumpkin in the United States, at their plant in ]. In the fall of 2009, rain in Illinois devastated the Nestlé crop, resulting in a shortage affecting the entire country during the Thanksgiving holiday season.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Jerry |last1=Hirsch |title=Pumpkin pie could become scarce after Thanksgiving |newspaper=] |date=18 November 2009 |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/18/business/fi-pumpkin18|accessdate=2 June 2015}}</ref>


==== In the United States ====
Pumpkins are a warm-weather crop that is usually planted in early July. The specific conditions necessary for growing pumpkins require that soil temperatures {{convert|3|in|cm|order=flip|0}} deep are at least {{convert|15.5|C|F|0}} and soil that holds water well. Pumpkin crops may suffer if there is a lack of water or because of cold temperatures (in this case, below {{convert|65|F|C|order=flip|0|disp=or}}; frost can be detrimental), and sandy soil with poor water retention or poorly drained soils that become waterlogged after heavy rain. Pumpkins are, however, rather hardy, and even if many leaves and portions of the vine are removed or damaged, the plant can very quickly re-grow secondary vines to replace what was removed.<ref name="psu" />
]]]
As one of the most popular crops in the United States, in 2017 over {{convert|1.5|e9lb|e6kg|order=flip|abbr=off}} of pumpkins were produced.<ref name="psu">{{cite web |first1=Gregory |last1=Astill |title=Pumpkins: Background & Statistics |year=2018 |publisher= United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service |access-date=December 2, 2018 |url=https://www.ers.usda.gov/newsroom/trending-topics/pumpkins-background-statistics/}}</ref> The top pumpkin-producing ] include ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="illinoisext" /> Pumpkin is the state squash of ].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hatch |first1=Rosie (Ed.) |title=Texas Almanac 2022-2023 |date=2022 |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |location=Austin, Texas |isbn=9781625110664 |page=23}}</ref>


According to the ], 95 percent of the U.S. crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |author=Illinois Department of Agriculture |title=Illinois Leads Nation in Pumpkin Production |url=http://www.agr.state.il.us/newsrels/r1022041.html |date=October 22, 2004}}</ref> Indeed, 41 percent of the overall pumpkin crop for all uses originates in the state, more than five times that of the nearest competitor, California, whose pumpkin industry is centered in the ]; and the majority of that comes from five counties in the central part of the state.<ref name=wherethepumpkinsgrow>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/map-where-america-s-pumpkins-come-n1281963|title=Map: Where America's pumpkins come from|first=Elliot|last=Ramos|work=]|date=October 22, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}}</ref> ], operating under the brand name ], produces 85 percent of the processed pumpkin in the United States at their plant in ].
Pumpkins produce both a male and female flower; ] play a significant role in ].<ref name="psu" /> Pumpkins have historically been ] by the native ] ''Peponapis pruinosa'', but this bee has ], probably at least in part to ] sensitivity,<ref name="williams">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Roger|url=http://projects.ipm.gov/ProjectDetails.cfm?project_ID=749|title=Effects of imidacloprid-based Insecticides on the Native Cucurbit Pollinator, ''Peponapis pruinosa''|publisher=US Interagency IPM Projects|year=2009|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref> and today most commercial plantings are pollinated by honeybees. One hive per acre (4,000&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup> per hive, or 5 hives per 2 hectares) is recommended by the ]. If there are inadequate bees for pollination, gardeners often have to ]. Inadequately pollinated pumpkins usually start growing but abort before full development.


In the fall of 2009, rain in Illinois devastated the ] pumpkin crop, which, combined with a relatively weak 2008 crop depleting that year's reserves, resulted in a shortage affecting the entire country during the Thanksgiving holiday season.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Jerry |last1=Hirsch |title=Pumpkin pie could become scarce after Thanksgiving |newspaper=] |date=November 18, 2009 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-18-fi-pumpkin18-story.html|access-date=June 2, 2015}}</ref> Another shortage, somewhat less severe, affected the 2015 crop.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/pumpkin-shortage-in-the-us-has-canada-to-the-rescue/58621/|title=News - Pumpkin shortage in the U.S. has Canada to the rescue - The Weather Network|website=www.theweathernetwork.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2015/11/26/thanksgiving-pumpkin-shortage/|title=Here's What Happened to the Great Pumpkin Shortage of 2015|website=Fortune}}</ref>
=== Giant pumpkins ===
]
"Giant pumpkins" are a large squash (within the group of common squash ''Cucurbita maxima'') that can exceed 1 ] in weight.<ref name="borrell">{{cite web | url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-great-pumpkin-74423844/?no-ist=&page=1 | title=The Great Pumpkin | publisher=The Smithsonian Institution | date=October 2011 | accessdate=31 October 2016 | author=Borrell, Brenda}}</ref><ref name=belgium/> The variety arose from the large squash of South America through the efforts of botanical societies and enthusiast farmers.<ref name=borrell/>


The pumpkin crop in the western United States, which constitutes approximately three to four percent of the national crop, is grown primarily for the ] market.<ref>{{cite news |last=Severson |first=Kim |title=Libby's Warns of a Canned Pumpkin Shortage |url=http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/libbys-warns-of-a-canned-pumpkin-shortage/ |work=The New York Times |date=November 17, 2009}}</ref> ], has a substantial pumpkin industry, centered largely on miniature pumpkins.<ref name=wherethepumpkinsgrow/> Illinois farmer ] is called "the Pumpkin Queen of America" and sells around five million pumpkins annually, predominantly for use as Jack-o-lanterns.<ref name=pr>{{cite news|url=https://www.produceretailer.com/article/news-article/pumpkins-decoration-delicacy|title=Pumpkins: from decoration to delicacy|work=Produce Retailer|date=August 25, 2017|access-date=March 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322015137/https://www.produceretailer.com/article/news-article/pumpkins-decoration-delicacy|archive-date=March 22, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/elaine-reeves-for-love-of-gourd/news-story/f60577a9e47a8fe1d006dbd8409e714a|title=Elaine Reeves: For love of gourd|newspaper=The Mercury|date=March 4, 2017|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref>
Such germplasm is commercially provocative, and in 1986 the United States extended protection for the giant squash.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

See ] below.


== Nutrition == == Nutrition ==
Line 88: Line 101:
| vitE_mg=0.44 | vitE_mg=0.44
| vitK_ug=1.1 | vitK_ug=1.1
| note= | note=
}} }}
In a 100-gram amount, raw pumpkin provides {{convert|26|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=off}} of food energy and is an excellent source (20% or more the ], DV) of provitamin A ] and ] (53% DV) (table). ] is present in moderate content (11% DV), but no other ] are in significant amounts (less than 10% DV, table). Pumpkin is 92% water, 6.5% ], 0.1% ] and 1% ] (table). In a {{convert|100|g|adj=on}} amount, raw pumpkin provides {{convert|26|kcal|kJ|order=flip|abbr=off}} of food energy and is an excellent source (20% or more the ], DV) of provitamin A ] and ] (47% DV) (table). ] is present in moderate content (10% DV), but no other ]s are in significant amounts (less than 10% DV, table). Pumpkin is 92% water, 6.5% ], 0.1% ] and 1% ] (table).


== Uses == == Uses ==
=== Culinary ===
{{See also|List of squash and pumpkin dishes}}
] is a popular way of preparing pumpkin]]
]
Most parts of the pumpkin plant are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and the flowers. When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, steamed, or roasted.


=== Cooking === ==== Shell and flesh ====
In North America, pumpkins are part of the traditional autumn harvest, eaten roasted, as ]<ref>Stavely, Keith W.F. and Fitzgerald, Kathleen. ''America's Founding Food: The Story of New England Cooking.'' Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 2004. {{ISBN|0-8078-2894-7}}</ref> and in soups and ]. ] is a traditional staple of the Canadian and American ] holidays.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first=C. Michael |last=Hogan |year=2011 |url=http://www.eoearth.org/article/Thanksgiving?topic=49578 |title=Thanksgiving |encyclopedia=] |publisher=]}}</ref> Pumpkin purée is sometimes prepared and frozen for later use.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut199.htm |title=Many uses for pumpkin |first=Tammy |last=Roberts |work=MissouriFamilies |publisher=University of Missouri Extension}}</ref>
] is a popular way of preparing pumpkin.]]
Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. In the United States and Canada, pumpkin is a popular ] and ] staple.<ref>{{cite web |first=C. Michael |last=Hogan |year=2011 |url=http://www.eoearth.org/article/Thanksgiving?topic=49578 |title=Thanksgiving |work=] |publisher=]}}</ref> Pumpkin purée is sometimes prepared and frozen for later use.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut199.htm |title=Many uses for pumpkin |first=Tammy |last=Roberts |work=MissouriFamilies |publisher=University of Missouri Extension}}</ref>


==== Flowers ====
]
]
When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, steamed, or roasted. In its native North America, it is a very important, traditional part of the autumn harvest, eaten ]<ref>Stavely, Keith W.F. and Fitzgerald, Kathleen. ''America's Founding Food: The Story of New England Cooking.'' Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 2004. {{ISBN|0-8078-2894-7}}</ref> and making its way into soups and purees. Often, it is made into ], various kinds of which are a traditional staple of the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holidays. In Canada, ], the United States, Europe and China, the seeds are often roasted and eaten as a snack.
In the ] and Mexico, pumpkin and squash flowers are a popular and widely available food item. They may be used to garnish dishes, or dredged in a batter then fried in oil.


==== Leaves ====
Pumpkins that are still small and green may be eaten in the same way as ] or ]. In the ], pumpkin is used for sweet dishes; a well-known sweet delicacy is called ''halawa yaqtin''. In South Asian countries such as ], pumpkin is cooked with butter, sugar, and spices in a dish called ''kadu ka halwa''. Pumpkin is used to make '']'' in ]. In ] province, ], the leaves of the pumpkin plant are consumed as a cooked ] or in soups. In ] and ], pumpkin is often roasted in conjunction with other vegetables. In ], small pumpkins are served in savory dishes, including ]. In ], pumpkins are used in both cooking and desserts (candied). The seeds are a popular sunflower seed substitute. In ], small pumpkins are steamed with custard inside and served as a ]. In Vietnam, pumpkins are commonly cooked in soups with pork or shrimp. In Italy, it can be used with cheeses as a savory stuffing for ]. Also, pumpkin can be used to flavor both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.
Pumpkin leaves are also eaten in ], where they are called {{transliteration|my|chibwabwa}} and are boiled and cooked with ] paste as a side dish.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pumpkin Leaves Chibwabwa|url=http://www.fao.org/in-action/inpho/resources/cookbook/detail/en/c/862/|publisher=]|access-date=March 30, 2017}}</ref>


==== Seeds ====
In the ] and Mexico, pumpkin and squash flowers are a popular and widely available food item. They may be used to garnish dishes, and they may be dredged in a batter then fried in oil. Pumpkin leaves are a popular vegetable in the Western and central regions of ]; they are called ''seveve'', and are an ingredient of '']'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ngishili.com/?p=282 |title=Cock and Bull Stories |publisher=Ngishili.com |date= |accessdate=2013-08-12}}</ref> respectively, whereas the pumpkin itself is usually boiled or steamed. The seeds are popular with children who roast them on a pan before eating them. Pumpkin leaves are also eaten in ], where they are called ''chibwabwa'' and are boiled and cooked with ] paste as a side dish.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pumpkin Leaves Chibwabwa|url=http://www.fao.org/in-action/inpho/resources/cookbook/detail/en/c/862/|publisher=]|accessdate=30 March 2017}}</ref>
{{Main|Pumpkin seed}}

]
Other than the traditionally defined pumpkin, commercially canned "pumpkin" puree and pumpkin pie fillings may contain other ]es, such as ].
Pumpkin seeds, also known as ''pepitas'', are edible and nutrient-rich. They are about 1.5&nbsp;cm (0.5&nbsp;in) long, flat, asymmetrically oval, light green in color and usually covered by a white husk, although some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without them. Pumpkin seeds are a popular snack that can be found hulled or semi-hulled at grocery stores. Per ounce serving, pumpkin seeds are a good source of ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3141/2 |title=Nutrition facts for pumpkin seeds, whole, roasted, without salt |work=SELF Nutritiondata |publisher=] |access-date=September 1, 2012}}</ref>

=== Leaves ===
]]]
Pumpkin leaves, usually of '']'' varieties, are eaten as vegetable in ].

=== Seeds ===
]
{{Main|Pepita}}
Pumpkin seeds, also known as ''pepitas'', are edible and nutrient-rich. They are about 1.5&nbsp;cm (0.5&nbsp;in) long, flat, asymmetrically oval, light green in color and usually covered by a white husk, although some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without them. Pumpkin seeds are a popular snack that can be found hulled or semi-hulled at most grocery stores. Per ounce serving, pumpkin seeds are a good source of ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3141/2 |title=Nutrition facts for pumpkin seeds, whole, roasted, without salt |date= |work=SELF Nutritiondata |publisher=] |accessdate=1 September 2012}}</ref>


==== Pumpkin seed oil ==== ==== Pumpkin seed oil ====
] {{Main|Pumpkin seed oil}}
], a thick oil ] from roasted pumpkin seeds, appears red or green in color depending on the oil layer thickness, container properties and ] shift of the observer's vision.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kreft |first1=S. |last2=Kreft |first2=M. |year=2007 |title=Physicochemical and physiological basis of dichromatic colour |journal=Naturwissenschaften |volume=94 |pages=935–939 |url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/h5630lr536pj1333/fulltext.pdf |doi=10.1007/s00114-007-0272-9 |pmid=17534588 |issue=11|bibcode=2007NW.....94..935K }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kaernbach |first1=C. |last2=Dörre |first2=C. |year=2006 |title=On the color of transparent substances, in Current Psychological Research in Austria |journal=Proceedings of the 7th scientific conference of the Austrian Psychological Society (ÖGP) |editor-first1=B. |editor-last1=Gula |editor-first2=O. |editor-last2=Vitouch |location=Klagenfurt |url=http://www.uni-kiel.de/psychologie/emotion/team/kaernbach/lehre/bio/kaernoel.pdf}}</ref> When used for cooking or as a salad dressing, pumpkin seed oil is generally mixed with other oils because of its robust flavor.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tyler Herbst |first=Sharon |title=The New Food Lover's Companion |edition=3rd |publisher=Barron |year=2001 |chapter=Pumpkin-Seed Oil |page=550 |accessdate=14 Feb 2008 |url=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/5068383}}</ref> Used in cooking in central and eastern ], it is considered a delicacy in traditional local cuisines such as for pumpkin soup, potato salad or even vanilla ice cream.{{cn|date=November 2016}} Pumpkin seed oil contains ]s, such as ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu07/pdfs/bavec185-189.pdf |title=Oil Pumpkins: Niche for Organic Producers |vauthors=Bavec F, Grobelnik Mlakar S, Rozman Č, Bavec M |year=2007 |work=Issues in new crops and new uses |publisher=Purdue University Agriculture, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture |accessdate=2 September 2012}}</ref> Pumpkin seed oil is a thick oil ] from roasted seeds that appears red or green in color.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kreft |first1=S. |last2=Kreft |first2=M. |year=2007 |title=Physicochemical and physiological basis of dichromatic colour |journal=Naturwissenschaften |volume=94 |pages=935–939 |doi=10.1007/s00114-007-0272-9 |pmid=17534588 |issue=11|bibcode=2007NW.....94..935K |s2cid=33069967 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kaernbach |first1=C. |last2=Dörre |first2=C. |year=2006 |title=On the color of transparent substances, in Current Psychological Research in Austria |journal=Proceedings of the 7th Scientific Conference of the Austrian Psychological Society (ÖGP) |editor-first1=B. |editor-last1=Gula |editor-first2=O. |editor-last2=Vitouch |location=Klagenfurt |url=http://www.uni-kiel.de/psychologie/emotion/team/kaernbach/lehre/bio/kaernoel.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104031033/http://www.uni-kiel.de/psychologie/emotion/team/kaernbach/lehre/bio/kaernoel.pdf |archive-date=November 4, 2009 }}</ref> When used for cooking or as a salad dressing, pumpkin seed oil is generally mixed with other oils because of its robust flavor.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tyler Herbst |first=Sharon |title=The New Food Lover's Companion |edition=3rd |publisher=Barron |year=2001 |chapter=Pumpkin-Seed Oil |page=550 |access-date=February 14, 2008 |chapter-url=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/5068383}} {{dead link|date=May 2022}}</ref> Pumpkin seed oil contains ]s such as ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu07/pdfs/bavec185-189.pdf |title=Oil Pumpkins: Niche for Organic Producers |vauthors=Bavec F, Grobelnik Mlakar S, Rozman Č, Bavec M |year=2007 |work=Issues in new crops and new uses |publisher=Purdue University Agriculture, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture |access-date=September 2, 2012}}</ref>


=== Other uses === === Animal feed ===
Canned pumpkin is often recommended by veterinarians as a dietary supplement for dogs and cats that are experiencing certain digestive ailments such as ], ], or ]s. The high fiber content helps to aid proper digestion.<ref name=pumpkinforcats>{{cite web|title=Tip 75 – Pumpkin for cats – pumpkin for dogs – Pumpkin for diarrhea or constipation|url=http://www.pets.ca/dogs/tips/tip-75-pumpkin-for-cats-pumpkin-for-dogs-pumpkin-for-diarrhea-or-constipation/|work=Pets.ca – Canada's Pet Information Centre |accessdate=1 November 2011}}</ref>


Pumpkin seed meal from ''Cucurbita maxima'' and ''Cucurbita moschata'' have been demonstrated to improve the nutrition of eggs for human consumption, and ''Cucurbita pepo'' seed has successfully been used in place of ] in chicken feed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Vlaicu |first1=Petru Alexandru |last2=Panaite |first2=Tatiana Dumitra |date=2021-06-24 |title=Effect of dietary pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed meal on layer performance and egg quality characteristics |journal=Animal Bioscience |language=English |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=236–246 |doi=10.5713/ab.21.0044 |issn=2765-0189 |pmc=8738952 |pmid=34293842}}</ref>
Raw pumpkin can be fed to poultry, as a supplement to regular feed, during the winter to help maintain egg production, which usually drops off during the cold months.<ref name="jacob">{{cite web|last1=Jacob|first1=J. P.|last2=Wilson|first2=H. R.|last3=Miles|first3=R. D.|last4=Butcher|first4=G. D.|last5=Mather|first5=F. B.|title=Factors Affecting Egg Production in Backyard Chicken Flocks|url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps029|publisher=University of Florida IFAS Extension|accessdate=September 15, 2013}}</ref>

Pumpkins have been used as folk medicine by ] to treat intestinal worms and urinary ailments, and this Native American remedy was adopted by American doctors in the early nineteenth century as an ] for the expulsion of worms.<ref name="Henshaw">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tMCd1yED2EUC&pg=PA105#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Environmental History of the Hudson River |editor= Robert E. Henshaw|location=Albany, NY |publisher=State University of New York Press |year= 2011 |isbn=978-1-4384-4026-2}}</ref> In Germany and southeastern Europe, seeds of ''C. pepo'' were also used as folk remedies to treat irritable bladder and ].<ref name="Schulz">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5CO2ZezbDukC&pg=PA304#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Rational Phytotherapy: A Reference Guide for Physicians and Pharmacists|editor= Volker Schulz |publisher=Springer|location=Munich |edition= 5th |year= 2004 |pages=304–305 |isbn=978-3-540-40832-1}}</ref><ref name="BGA">{{cite web |url=http://buecher.heilpflanzen-welt.de/BGA-Commission-E-Monographs/0309.htm |title=Pumpkin seed (Cucurbitae peponis semen) |work= Heilpflanzen-Welt Bibliothek|accessdate=March 25, 2015}}</ref> In China, ] seeds were also used in ] for the treatment of the parasitic disease ]<ref name="xiao">{{cite journal |last1=Xiao |first1=S. H. |last2=Keiser |first2=J. |last3=Chen |first3=M. G. |last4=Tanner |first4=M. |last5=Utzinger |first5=J. |title=Research and Development of Antischistosomal Drugs in the People's Republic of China a 60-year review|journal=Advances in Parasitology |year=2010 |volume=73 |pages=231–295 |doi=10.1016/S0065-308X(10)73009-8 |pmid=20627145}}</ref> and for the expulsion of ]s.<ref name="Fischer">{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=KLd9v4hwtGgC&pg=PA283#v=onepage&q&f=false |title= Practical Therapeutics of Traditional Chinese Medicine|first1= Yan|last1= Wu|first2= Warren|last2=Fischer |publisher=Paradigm Publications|location=Taos, NM|year=1997 |pages=282–283 |isbn= 978-0-912111-39-1}}</ref> Chinese studies have found that a combination of pumpkin seed and ] extracts was effective in the expulsion of ''Taenia spp.'' tapeworms in over 89% of cases.<ref name="Chang">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SU_ZX6lI1OIC&pg=PA832#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=title Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medica, Volume 2 |editors= Hson-Mou Chang, Paul P. H. |pages=832–836 |publisher=World Scientific Publications |location=Singapore|year= 2000 |isbn=978-981-02-3692-2}}</ref><ref name="Giraudoux">{{cite journal |journal=Infectious Diseases of Poverty |year=2013 |volume=2 |issue=1:16 |doi= 10.1186/2049-9957-2-16 |pmc= 3750256 |pmid = 23915395 |title=Priorities for Research and Control of Cstode Zoonoses in Asia |last1=Xiao|first1=Ning|last2= Yao|first2=Jia-Wen|last3=Ding|first3=Wei |last4=Giraudoux|first4=Patrick |last5=Craig|first5=Philip S.|last6= Ito|first6=Akira}}</ref><ref name="Long">{{cite journal |journal=Tropical Biomedicine|year= 2013 |volume=30|issue=2 |pages=164–73 |title=Mini Review on Chemotherapy of Taeniasis and Cysticercosis Due to Taenia Solium in Asia, and a Case Report With 20 Tapeworms in China|last1=Ito|first1=Akira|last2= Li|first2=T.|last3=Chen|first3=X.|last4= Long|first4=C. |last5=Yanagida|first5=T.|last6=Nakao |first6=M.|last7= Sako|first7=Y.|last8= Okamoto|first8= M.|last9= Wu|first9=Y.| last10=Raoul|first10= F.|last11= Giraudoux|first11= P.|last12= Craig|first12= P. S. |pmid=23959481 |format=PDF|url=http://www.msptm.org/files/164_-_173_Ito_A.pdf}}</ref>


== Culture == == Culture ==


=== Halloween === === Halloween ===
{{Main article | Jack o' lantern }}
] for ]]] ] for ]]]
Pumpkins are commonly carved into decorative lanterns called ]s for the ] season in North America. Throughout Britain and Ireland, there is a long tradition of carving lanterns from vegetables, particularly the ], ], or ].<ref>{{cite news |quote=They continue to be popular choices today as carved lanterns in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although the British purchased a million pumpkins for Halloween in 2004|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4385812.stm |title=Pumpkins Passions |publisher=] |date=31 October 2005 |accessdate=19 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4383216.stm |title=Turnip battles with pumpkin for Hallowe'en |publisher=] |date=28 October 2005 |accessdate=23 September 2007 |first=Julian |last=Fowler}}</ref> The practice of carving pumpkins for Halloween originated from an Irish myth about a man named "]".<ref name="illinoisext" /> The turnip has traditionally been used in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween,<ref name="lntrn">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/?id=AN7WAAAAMAAJ&q=candlelit+lanterns+were+carved+from+large+turnips&dq=candlelit+lanterns+were+carved+from+large+turnips |title=The Oxford companion to American food and drink |page=269 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2007 |accessdate=February 17, 2011|isbn=978-0-19-530796-2 }}</ref> but immigrants to North America used the native pumpkin, which are both readily available and much larger&nbsp;– making them easier to carve than turnips.<ref name="lntrn" /> Not until 1837, does ''jack-o'-lantern'' appear as a term for a carved vegetable lantern,<ref>{{cite book |first=Nathaniel |last=Hawthorne |authorlink=Nathaniel Hawthorne |chapter=] |title=] |year=1837 |quote=Hide it under thy cloak, say'st thou? Why, it will gleam through the holes, and make thee look like a jack-o'-lantern!}}</ref> and the carved pumpkin lantern association with Halloween is recorded in 1866.<ref>''Daily News'' (Kingston, Ontario), November 1, 1866: In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween.<ref name="NYT">, ''The New York Times'', November 24, 1895, p. 27. "", ''The New York Times'', October 21, 1900, p. 12.</ref> The practice of carving produce for Halloween originated from an Irish myth about a man named "]".<ref name="illinoisext" /> The practice of carving pumpkin ]s for the ] season developed from a traditional practice in Ireland as well as Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom of carving lanterns from the ], ], or ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4383216.stm|title=Turnip battles with pumpkin for Hallowe'en|last=Fowler|first=Julian|date=October 28, 2005|access-date=September 23, 2007|publisher=]}}</ref><ref name="lntrn">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AN7WAAAAMAAJ&q=candlelit+lanterns+were+carved+from+large+turnips |title=The Oxford companion to American food and drink |page=269 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2007 |access-date=February 17, 2011|isbn=978-0-19-530796-2 }}</ref> These vegetables continue to be popular choices today as carved lanterns in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although the British purchased a million pumpkins for Halloween in 2004 reflecting the spread of pumpkin carving in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4385812.stm|title=Pumpkins Passions|date=October 31, 2005|access-date=October 19, 2006|publisher=]}}</ref>

Immigrants to North America began using the native pumpkins for carving, which are both readily available and much larger&nbsp;– making them easier to carve than turnips.<ref name="lntrn" /> Not until 1837 does ''jack-o'-lantern'' appear as a term for a carved vegetable lantern,<ref>{{cite book |first=Nathaniel |last=Hawthorne |author-link=Nathaniel Hawthorne |chapter=] |title=Twice-Told Tales |year=1837 |quote=Hide it under thy cloak, say'st thou? Why, it will gleam through the holes, and make thee look like a jack-o'-lantern!|title-link=Twice-Told Tales }}</ref> and the carved pumpkin lantern association with Halloween is recorded in 1866.<ref>''Daily News'' (Kingston, Ontario), November 1, 1866:

:The old time custom of keeping up Hallowe'en was not forgotten last night by the youngsters of the city. They had their maskings and their merry-makings, and perambulated the streets after dark in a way was no doubt amusing to themselves. There was a great sacrifice of pumpkins from which to make transparent heads and face, lighted up by the unfailing two inches of tallow candle.</ref> :The old time custom of keeping up Hallowe'en was not forgotten last night by the youngsters of the city. They had their maskings and their merry-makings, and perambulated the streets after dark in a way was no doubt amusing to themselves. There was a great sacrifice of pumpkins from which to make transparent heads and face, lighted up by the unfailing two inches of tallow candle.</ref>


The traditional American pumpkin used for jack-o-lanterns is the ] variety.<ref name="illinoisext" /><ref name="richardsonrw">{{cite web|last=Richardson|first=R. W.|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/cgc_reports/squash95.pdf|title=Squash and Pumpkin|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System|access-date=November 23, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924160527/http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/cgc_reports/squash95.pdf|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref><ref name="ufl">{{cite web|last=Stephens|first=James M. |url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv116|title=Pumpkin — Cucurbita spp.|publisher=University of Florida|access-date=November 23, 2014}}</ref><ref name="baggett">{{cite web|last=Baggett|first=J. R. |url=http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cgc/cgc02/cgc2-19.html|title=Attempts to Cross ''Cucurbita moschata'' (Duch.) Poir. 'Butternut' and ''C. pepo'' L. 'Delicata'|publisher=North Carolina State University|access-date=November 23, 2014}}</ref> Kentucky field pumpkin is also among the pumpkin cultivars grown specifically for jack-o-lantern carving.<ref name="compleat" />
In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween.<ref name="NYT" /> In 1900, an article on Thanksgiving entertaining recommended a lit jack-o'-lantern as part of the festivities that encourage kids and families to join together to make their own jack-o'-lanterns.<ref name="NYT">, ''The New York Times'', Nov. 24, 1895, p. 27. "," ''The New York Times'', Oct. 21, 1900, p. 12.</ref>


=== Chunking<!-- This is not a typo --> ===
Association of pumpkins with harvest time and ] at Canadian and American ] reinforce its iconic role. ] turned this association into marketing with its pumpkin spice latte, introduced in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://qz.com/136781/psl-untold-history-of-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte/|title=The untold history of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte|author=Christopher Mims|work=Quartz}}</ref> This has led to a notable trend in pumpkin and spice flavored food products in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theamericanconservative.com/considering-pumpkin-spice-and-seasonal-synesthesia/|title=Considering Pumpkin Spice and Seasonal Synesthesia|work=The American Conservative}}</ref> This is despite the fact that North Americans rarely buy whole pumpkins to eat other than when carving jack-o'-lanterns.
] is a competitive activity in which teams build various mechanical devices designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible. ]s, ]s, ]s and ] are the most common mechanisms.<ref>{{cite news| agency = Associated Press| url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna21197135| title = How far will a pumpkin fly?| publisher = MSNBC| date = October 25, 2007| access-date = August 7, 2009}}</ref>

=== Chunking ===
] is a competitive activity in which teams build various mechanical devices designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible. ]s, ]s, ]s and ] are the most common mechanisms. Some pumpkin chunkers breed and grow special varieties of pumpkin under specialized conditions to improve the pumpkin's chances of surviving a throw.


=== Pumpkin festivals and competitions === === Pumpkin festivals and competitions ===
] ]'' pumpkins]]
Growers of giant pumpkins often compete to grow the most massive pumpkins. Festivals may be dedicated to the pumpkin and these competitions. In the United States, the town of ], holds an annual ], including the World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-Off.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com/event-details/history.html |title=Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival: A Brief History |publisher=Miramar Events |date=2016 |access-date=October 31, 2016}}</ref>
"Giant pumpkins" are orange variants of the giant squash, ''Cucurbita maxima''. Growers of these "pumpkins" often compete to see whose pumpkins are the most massive. ] are often dedicated to the pumpkin and these competitions.

The record for the world's heaviest pumpkin, {{convert|1247|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, was most recently set in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pumpkin weighing as much as a hippo named the world's heaviest |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/11/pumpkin-weighing-as-much-as-a-hippo-named-the-worlds-heaviest#:~:text=Minnesota%20grower%20Travis%20Gienger%20squashes,pound%20(1,247kg)%20gourd.&text=A%20monster%20pumpkin%20weighing%20the,been%20named%20the%20world's%20heaviest. |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>


There's a Finnish pumpkin festival called ] (''Kurpitsaviikot''), which are held every October in ], and there, at the local field, thousands of different sizes pumpkins and carved ]s are presented to tourists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kurpitsaviikot.fi/en|title=Kurpitsaviikot|website=kurpitsaviikot.fi|access-date=24 September 2024|language=en}}</ref>
The record for the world's heaviest pumpkin, {{convert|2,624.6|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}}, was established in ] in 2016.<ref name="belgium">{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/belgian-mans-pumpkin-sets-world-record-at-a-whopping-2624-pounds/2016/10/17/2c37272e-9470-11e6-bc79-af1cd3d2984b_story.html | title=Belgian man’s pumpkin sets world record at a whopping 2,624 pounds | publisher=The Washington Post | date=17 October 2016 | accessdate=31 October 2016 | author=Barron, Christina}}</ref>


==== Folk medicine ====
In the United States, the town of ], holds an annual ], including the World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-Off.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com/event-details/history.html |title=Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival: A Brief History |publisher=Miramar Events |date=2016 |accessdate=31 October 2016}}</ref>
Pumpkins have been used as ] by ] to treat intestinal worms and urinary ailments, and this Native American remedy was adopted by American doctors in the early nineteenth century as an ] for the expulsion of worms.<ref name="Henshaw">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tMCd1yED2EUC&pg=PA105 |title=Environmental History of the Hudson River |editor= Robert E. Henshaw|location=Albany, NY |publisher=State University of New York Press |year= 2011 |isbn=978-1-4384-4026-2}}</ref>{{qualify evidence}} In Germany and southeastern Europe, seeds of ''C. pepo'' were also used as folk remedies to treat irritable bladder and ].<ref name="Schulz">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/springer_10.1007-978-3-662-09666-6 |title=Rational Phytotherapy: A Reference Guide for Physicians and Pharmacists|editor= Volker Schulz |publisher=Springer|location=Munich |edition= 5th |year= 2004 |pages=–305 |isbn=978-3-540-40832-1}}</ref><ref name="BGA">{{cite web |url=http://buecher.heilpflanzen-welt.de/BGA-Commission-E-Monographs/0309.htm |title=Pumpkin seed (Cucurbitae peponis semen) |work= Heilpflanzen-Welt Bibliothek|access-date=March 25, 2015}}</ref>{{qualify evidence}}

In China, ] seeds were also used in ] for the treatment of the parasitic disease ]<ref name="xiao">{{cite journal |last1=Xiao |first1=S. H. |last2=Keiser |first2=J. |last3=Chen |first3=M. G. |last4=Tanner |first4=M. |last5=Utzinger |first5=J. |title=Research and Development of Antischistosomal Drugs in the People's Republic of China a 60-year review|journal=Advances in Parasitology |year=2010 |volume=73 |pages=231–295 |doi=10.1016/S0065-308X(10)73009-8 |pmid=20627145}}</ref> and for the expulsion of ]s.<ref name="Fischer">{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=KLd9v4hwtGgC&pg=PA283 |title= Practical Therapeutics of Traditional Chinese Medicine|first1= Yan|last1= Wu|first2= Warren|last2=Fischer |publisher=Paradigm Publications|location=Taos, NM|year=1997 |pages=282–283 |isbn= 978-0-912111-39-1}}</ref>{{qualify evidence}}


=== Folklore and fiction === === Folklore and fiction ===
There is a strong connection in folklore and popular culture between pumpkins and the supernatural. Famous examples include the following: There is a connection in folklore and popular culture between pumpkins and the supernatural, such as:
* The custom of carving jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins derives from folklore about a lost soul wandering the earth.
* In the fairy tale '']'', the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage for the title character, but at midnight it reverts to a pumpkin.
* In some adaptations of Washington Irving's ghost story '']'', the ] is said to use a pumpkin as a substitute head.


In most folklore the carved pumpkin is meant to scare away evil spirits on All Hallows' Eve (that is, Halloween), when the dead were purported to walk the earth.
==== Folklore ====
* A commonplace motif of people being turned into pumpkins by witches.
* The jack-o-lantern custom discussed above, which connects to Halloween lore about warding off demons.
* In the folk tale '']'', the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage, but at midnight it reverts to a pumpkin.


==== Fiction ==== ==Cultivars==
{{See also|List of gourds and squashes}}
* Linus' belief in the ] in ]'s comic strip '']''.
The species and varieties include many economically important cultivars with a variety of different shapes, colors, and flavors that are grown for different purposes. ''Variety'' is used here interchangeably with ''cultivar'', but not with ''species'' or taxonomic variety.
* Juice from a pumpkin has magical effects in the short story "]" by ].

* In the '']'' novels, pumpkin juice, a favorite drink of the students of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is a recurring element.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%; height:auto;"
* The pumpkin hurled by the "]" in ]'s '']''.
! style="width:15%;" class="unsortable"| Image
* ], a character in the ] books of ], with a pumpkin for a head on a wooden body, brought to life in the second book.
! style="width:17%;" | Name
* In ]'s ''],'' the main character, ], is "the Pumpkin King."
! style="width:18%;" | Species
* ], the fictional detective from ] in '']'' series of novels by Scottish author ], often cooks and eats pumpkin.
! style="width:10%;" | Origin
* In a short story by ], '']'' from 1852, a witch turns a scarecrow with a "pumpkinhead" into a man.
! style="width:40%;" class="unsortable"| Description
* The ] villains the ] and ] use small, handheld "pumpkin bombs" as a signature weapon.
|-
|
| ]
| '']''
| ]
| The people of ] dry Al Hachi pumpkins to eat in the winter, when snowfall can isolate the valley.<ref name="kashmiratoz">{{cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Sonia |date=September 16, 2019 |title=Kashmir, from A to Z: Children's book highlights region's culture |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/kashmir-children-book-highlights-region-culture-190915140353211.html |work=] |access-date=February 4, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| United States
| Big Max can exceed {{convert|100|lb|kg}} and {{convert|20|in|mm|abbr=on}} in diameter under ideal growing conditions.<ref name="info">{{cite web|title=Pumpkin Seed&nbsp;— Big Max Pumpkin |publisher=Gurney's Seed and Nursery Company |access-date=October 7, 2009 |url=http://gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=66293&sid=601324&bhcd2=1254963239 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008032803/http://gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=66293&sid=601324&bhcd2=1254963239 |archive-date=October 8, 2011 }}</ref> The variety was hybridized for its size during the early 1960s.<ref>{{cite news|author=Earl Aronson|title=The Weeders Guide|date=January 11, 1964|newspaper=The Hartford Courant|access-date=October 7, 2009|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/919947832.html?dids=919947832:919947832&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+11%2C+1964&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=The+WEEDERS+GUIDE&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023031604/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/919947832.html?dids=919947832:919947832&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+11,+1964&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=The+WEEDERS+GUIDE&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2012}}</ref> Individual fruits are round to slightly flattened.<ref name="spokane-chronicle">{{cite web|title=Big Max Pumpkin is Monster|date=May 22, 1964|publisher=The Spokane Daily Chronicle|access-date=October 7, 2009|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PZgSAAAAIBAJ&pg=7178,5315473}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pumpkin|publisher=Aggie Horticulture|access-date=October 7, 2009|url=http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/pumpkin.html}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ] and ]
| The calabaza is a variety originating in ] and the ]. It is also cultivated in the ] and ].<ref name="tropical-pumpkin">{{Cite journal |last=Andres |first=T.C. |date=2019 |title=Diversity in tropical pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata): a review of infraspecific classifications |url=https://cucurbit.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cuc2004proceedings.pdf#page=107 |journal=Progress in Cucurbit Genetics and Breeding Research}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ], possibly from an origin in ]<ref name="botanical-harvard">{{Cite journal |last=Vestal |first=Paul A. |date=1938 |title=Cucurbita Moschata Found in Pre-Columbian Mounds in Guatemala |journal=Botanical Museum Leaflets, Harvard University |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=65–69 |doi=10.5962/p.168392 |jstor=41762692 |s2cid=130017723 |issn=0006-8098|doi-access=free }}</ref>
| So-called for its resemblance to a wheel of cheese, this cultivar has been noted for its long storage ability as well as relatively poor culinary characteristics.<ref name="perfect-pumpkin" /><ref name="compleat" /> One of ]'s 1786 botanical illustrations depicts a fruit that has been identified with the Cheese Pumpkin.<ref name="tropical-pumpkin" />
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ]<ref name="compleat" />
| Considered to be "one of the oldest pumpkins in existence".<ref name="USDA1">{{cite web |title=Abenaki Heritage Garden |url=https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1101651.pdf |publisher=USDA NRCS |access-date=December 4, 2022 |archive-date=June 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609150416/https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1101651.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Widely used for ] decorations, either whole or as ]s.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news|title=Gardening: Trick is to Plant Now for Halloween Treat|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-06-11-re-2959-story.html|publisher=]}}</ref>
|-
|
| ]
| '']''
| ]
| The oblong, ribbed fruits weigh up to 40 pounds and are widely used for canning. Derived from the Kentucky field pumpkin by Elijah Dickinson when he moved to ] in 1835.<ref name="pumpkin-truth">{{Cite web |date=2016-09-12 |title=The Truth About "Canned Pumpkin" – Mother Earth Gardener |url=https://www.motherearthgardener.com/profiles/canned-pumpkin-zmaz12fzfol/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=www.motherearthgardener.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Libby's Select is classified either as a selection from the Dickinson Pumpkin or a selection from the same parent lineage.<ref name="best-heirloom">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-09 |title=Best Heirloom Pumpkin Varieties - Grit |url=https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/vegetables/pumpkin-varieties-zm0znd13zgou/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=www.grit.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="canned-pumpkin">{{Cite web |last=Laliberte |first=Marissa |date=2020-10-15 |title=What's Really in Canned Pumpkin, Anyway? |url=https://www.rd.com/article/is-canned-pumpkin-really-squash/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Reader's Digest |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=CooksInfo |title=Libby's Select Dickinson Pumpkins |url=https://www.cooksinfo.com/libbys-select-dickinson-pumpkins |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=CooksInfo |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Splittstoesser |first=W. E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-yByu-GR4eEC |title=Vegetable Growing Handbook |date=1990-03-31 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-0-442-23971-8 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ]
| Dill's Atlantic Giant was bred by ] from sources including the ] variety.<ref name="purdue">{{Cite journal |last=Janick |first=Jules |date=2008 |title=Giant Pumpkins: Genetic and Cultural Breakthroughs |url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/pdfs/giant-pumpkin.pdf |journal=] |volume=48 |issue=3 |pages=16–17}}</ref><ref name="nybg">{{Cite web |last=Andres |first=Thomas |date=October 26, 2010 |title=Origin of the Giant Pumpkin |url=https://www.nybg.org/blogs/plant-talk/2010/10/garden-programming/origin-of-the-giant-pumpkin/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |website=Plant Talk |publisher=New York Botanical Garden}}</ref> The variety were patented in 1979, who then went on to set the ] in 1980 with a {{cvt|459|lb}} record.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/growing-giant-pumpkins/story?id=12005986|title=Great Pumpkin: Secret to Growing Giant Gourds|date=2010-10-30|website=ABC News|language=en|access-date=2019-02-01}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Galeux d'Eysines
| '']''
| ]
| The Galeux d'Eysines is mentioned in the ] vegetable catalogue ] in 1883. It is noted for peanut-sized growths on its skin, caused by a buildup of sugar. Its name may have originally been ''Brodé galeux d'Eysines'', translating to ''embroidered with scabs, from ].'' Immature pumpkins can be etched with words or designs that become warts as it matures. Galeux d'Eysines was reportedly brought to the United States in 1996 from the ] pumpkin festival in ] by author ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Galeux d'Eysines Squash |url=https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Galeux_d_Eysines_Squash_9232.php |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=specialtyproduce.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-03 |title=Peanut pumpkins - truly unique |url=https://www.morningagclips.com/peanut-pumpkins-truly-unique/ |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=Morning Ag Clips |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Japanese pie pumpkin
| '']''
| ]
| The Japanese pie pumpkin is so-called because its seeds become ], resembling to Americans the appearance of ] or ]. This variety was introduced by Samuel Wilson of ] in 1884.<ref name="compleat" />
|-
| ]
| Jarrahdale pumpkin
| '']''
| ]
| A variety with a blue-gray skin, named after the Western Australian town of ]. The Jarrahdale closely resembles the Queensland Blue. It cuts easily, and has orange, sweet-tasting flesh.<ref name="sfgate">{{cite web | url = https://homeguides.sfgate.com/growing-jarrahdale-35632.html | title = Growing Jarrahdale | last = Singleton | first = Bonnie | website = Home Guides | date = July 22, 2012 | publisher = SF Gate | access-date = December 2, 2020}}</ref><ref name="taste">{{cite web | url = https://www.taste.com.au/healthy/articles/pumpkin/by9gk5go | title = Pumpkin: the complete guide | website = taste.com.au | publisher = NewsLifeMedia | access-date = December 2, 2020}}</ref>
|-
|
| Jonathan pumpkin<ref name="compleat" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pumpkin: Cushaw White |url=https://gardenseedsandplants.com/pumpkin-cushaw-white/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=gardenseedsandplants.com}}</ref>
| '']''
|
| Available commercially as early as 1891 from ].<ref name="compleat" /> The name ''Jonathan'' may originate as a form of ] against the character of ] which was sometimes used as mocking personification of the United States by satirists in Europe.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ott |first=Cindy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JJkcpAHkKHMC |title=Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon |date=2012-12-01 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=978-0-295-80444-6 |language=en}}</ref> ''Brother Jonathan'' was also used within the United States either as characterizing the epitome of thrift and industriousness, or an unsophisticated ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Finnegan |first=Mary |date=2022-09-19 |title=Pumpkin Season, Explained |url=https://medium.com/limited-liabilities-by-colbeck/pumpkin-season-explained-865487164009 |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Limited Liabilities by Colbeck |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ]
| ''Kabocha'' is the general Japanese word for winter squashes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vegetable.alic.go.jp/panfu/pumpkin/pumpkin.htm |title=Vegetable diagram (Kabocha) |publisher=Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation |access-date=22 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418170816/http://vegetable.alic.go.jp/panfu/pumpkin/pumpkin.htm |archive-date=18 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="cookinglight">{{cite web |url=http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/what-is-kabocha-squash |title=What is Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin)? |publisher=Cooking Light Magazine |access-date=22 September 2017 |archive-date=September 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923020500/http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/what-is-kabocha-squash |url-status=dead }}</ref> In English, the term "kabocha" is usually used for a green-skinned cultivar derived from ].
|-
|
| Kentucky field pumpkin
| '']''
| ], ], or the ]
| Kentucky field pumpkin is among the pumpkin cultivars grown specifically for jack-o-lantern carving.<ref name="perfect-pumpkin">{{Cite book |last=Damerow |first=Gail |author-link=Gail Damerow |url=http://archive.org/details/perfectpumpkin0000dame |title=The perfect pumpkin |date=1997 |publisher=Pownal, Vt. : Storey Pub. |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-88266-993-9}}</ref> It has been classified as part of a group of ''Cucurbita moschata'' cultivars historically grown by the ] people of the United States southeast, as well as by farmers in ], ], and ]. Similar cultivars were identified in ] as well as coastal and southern ].<ref name="history-distribution">{{Cite journal |last1=Cutler |first1=Hugh C. |last2=Whitaker |first2=Thomas W. |date=1961 |title=History and Distribution of the Cultivated Cucurbits in the Americas |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/278735 |journal=American Antiquity |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=469–485 |doi=10.2307/278735 |jstor=278735 |s2cid=161495351 |issn=0002-7316}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Musquée de Provence, Moscata di Provenza or fairytale pumpkin
| '']''
| France
| A large pumpkin from France with sweet, fragrant, deep-orange flesh often sold by the slice due to its size.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm |title=Squash |website=What's Cooking America |date=November 13, 2015 |access-date=2021-11-25}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Seminole pumpkin
| '']''
| ]
| A landrace originally cultivated by the ] people of what is now ]. Naturalists in the 18th century recorded Seminole pumpkins growing with their vines hanging from trees.<ref name="species-crosses">{{Cite journal |last=Castetter |first=Edward F. |date=1930 |title=Species Crosses in the Genus Cucurbita |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2446379 |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=41–57 |doi=10.2307/2446379 |jstor=2446379 |issn=0002-9122}}</ref><ref name="echo-seminole">{{Cite web |title=Seminole Pumpkin |url=https://www.echocommunity.org/resources/7c4508c7-a5bd-452b-8fd9-1ed9689fc5e8 |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=ECHOcommunity |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ]
| Styrian pumpkins ('']'' subsp. ''pepo'' var. ''styriaca'' or var. ''oleifera'') have hull-less seeds, which are used in ] and ] as part of a ] industry that presses their roasted seeds.<ref name="fürnkranz">{{cite journal | last1 = Fürnkranz | first1 = Michael | last2 = Lukesch | first2 = Birgit | last3 = Müller | first3 = Henry | last4 = Huss | first4 = Herbert | last5 = Grube | first5 = Martin | last6 = Berg | first6 = Gabriele | year = 2012 | title = Microbial Diversity Inside Pumpkins: Microhabitat-Specific Communities Display a High Antagonistic Potential Against Phytopathogens | journal = Microbial Ecology| volume = 63 | issue = 2 | pages = 418–428 | jstor = 41412429 | doi = 10.1007/s00248-011-9942-4| pmid = 21947430 | bibcode = 2012MicEc..63..418F | s2cid = 16454305 }}</ref><ref name="Košťálová">{{cite journal|last1=Košťálová|first1=Zuzana|last2= Hromádková|first2=Zdenka|last3=Ebringerová|first3=Anna|journal=Chemical Papers|date=August 2009|title=Chemical Evaluation of Seeded Fruit Biomass of Oil Pumpkin (''Cucurbita pepo'' L. var. ''Styriaca'')|volume=63|issue=4|pages=406–413|doi=10.2478/s11696-009-0035-5|bibcode=2009ChPap..63..406K |s2cid=97993637}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| ]
| '']''
| ]
| The sugar pumpkin is one of the earliest varieties of pumpkin documented by European colonists upon arrival in North America. It has sweeter flesh than the similar but larger ] from which sugar pumpkins may have been selected.<ref name="compleat" />
|}


== See also == == See also ==
* ] * ]
* ] * ]


== References == == References ==
{{Reflist|30em}} {{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|last1=Ott|first1=Cindy|title=Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon|date=2012|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|isbn=0-295-99195-X}}


== External links == == External links ==
{{Wikiquote|Pumpkins}} {{Wikiquote|Pumpkins}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Pumpkins}} {{Commons category|Pumpkins}}
* {{Merriam-Webster|Pumpkin}}
* {{dmoz|Home/Cooking/Fruits_and_Vegetables/Pumpkin_and_Squash/Pumpkins|Pumpkins}}


{{Squashes and pumpkins}} {{Squashes and pumpkins}}
{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 17:21, 21 November 2024

Category of culinary winter Cucurbita squashes For other uses, see Pumpkin (disambiguation).

A pile of pumpkins at the French Market in New Orleans, Louisiana
A variety of pumpkin cultivars. The central and rightmost orange fruits are Cucurbita pepo, all others are Cucurbita maxima
A field of giant pumpkins

A pumpkin is a cultivated winter squash in the genus Cucurbita. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many different squashes of varied appearance and belonging to multiple species in the Cucurbita genus.

The use of the word "pumpkin" is thought to have originated in New England in North America, derived from a word for melon, or a native word for round. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "squash" or "winter squash", and is commonly used for some cultivars of Cucurbita argyrosperma, Cucurbita ficifolia, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, and Cucurbita pepo.

C. pepo pumpkins are among the oldest known domesticated plants, with evidence of their cultivation dating to between 7000 BCE and 5500 BCE. Wild species of Cucurbita and the earliest domesticated species are native to North America (parts of present-day northeastern Mexico and the southern United States), but cultivars are now grown globally for culinary, decorative, and other culturally-specific purposes.

The pumpkin's thick shell contains edible seeds and pulp. Pumpkin pie is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in Canada and the United States and pumpkins are frequently used as autumnal seasonal decorations and carved as jack-o'-lanterns for decoration around Halloween. Commercially canned pumpkin purée and pie fillings are usually made of different pumpkin varieties from those intended for decorative use.

Etymology and terminology

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the English word pumpkin derives from the Ancient Greek word πέπων (romanized pepōn), meaning 'melon'. Under this theory, the term transitioned through the Latin word peponem and the Middle French word pompon to the Early Modern English pompion, which was changed to pumpkin by 17th-century English colonists, shortly after encountering pumpkins upon their arrival in what is now the northeastern United States.

There is a proposed alternate derivation for pumpkin from the Massachusett word pôhpukun, meaning 'grows forth round'. This term could have been used by the Wampanoag people (who speak the Wôpanâak dialect of Massachusett) when introducing pumpkins to English Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony, located in present-day Massachusetts. (The English word squash is derived from a Massachusett word, variously transcribed as askꝏtasquash, ashk8tasqash, or, in the closely related Narragansett language, askútasquash.)

Researchers have noted that the term pumpkin and related terms like ayote and calabaza are applied to a range of winter squash with varying size and shape. The term tropical pumpkin is sometimes used for pumpkin cultivars of the species Cucurbita moschata.

Description

Cross section of a Cucurbita maxima pumpkin

Pumpkin fruits are a type of berry known as a pepo. Characteristics commonly used to define pumpkin include smooth and slightly ribbed skin and deep yellow to orange color, although white, green, and other pumpkin colors also exist.

While Cucurbita pepo pumpkins generally weigh between 3 and 8 kilograms (6 and 18 lb), giant pumpkins can exceed a tonne in mass. Most are varieties of C. maxima that were developed through the efforts of botanical societies and enthusiast farmers. The largest cultivars frequently reach weights of over 34 kg (75 lb). In October 2023, the record for heaviest pumpkin was set at 1,246.9 kg (2,749 lbs.).

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by making an edit requestadding to it . (December 2022)

The oldest evidence of Cucurbita pepo are pumpkin fragments found in Mexico that are dated between 7,000 and 5,500 BC. Pumpkins and other squash species, alongside maize and beans, feature in the Three Sisters method of companion planting practiced by many North American indigenous societies. However, larger modern pumpkin cultivars are typically excluded, as their weight may damage the other crops. Within decades after Europeans began colonizing North America, illustrations of pumpkins similar to the modern cultivars Small Sugar pumpkin and Connecticut Field pumpkin were published in Europe.

Cultivation

Pumpkins are a warm-weather crop that is usually planted by early July in the Northern Hemisphere. Pumpkins require that soil temperatures 8 centimetres (3 in) deep are at least 15.5 °C (60 °F) and that the soil holds water well. Pumpkin crops may suffer if there is a lack of water, because of temperatures below 18 °C or 65 °F, or if grown in soils that become waterlogged. Within these conditions, pumpkins are considered hardy, and even if many leaves and portions of the vine are removed or damaged, the plant can quickly grow secondary vines to replace what was removed.

Pumpkins produce both a male and female flower, with fertilization usually performed by bees. In America, pumpkins have historically been pollinated by the native squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa, but that bee has declined, probably partly due to pesticide (imidacloprid) sensitivity. Ground-based bees, such as squash bees and the eastern bumblebee, are better suited to manage the larger pollen particles that pumpkins create. One hive per acre (0.4 hectares, or five hives per 2 hectares) is recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If there are inadequate bees for pollination, gardeners may have to hand pollinate. Inadequately pollinated pumpkins usually start growing but fail to develop.

Production

Pumpkin production
2022, (millions of tonnes)
 China 7.3
 Ukraine 1.1
 Russia 1.1
 United States 1.0
 Mexico 0.7
 Spain 0.7
World 22.8
Source: FAOSTAT of the United Nations

In 2022, world production of pumpkins (including squash and gourds) was 23 million tonnes, with China accounting for 32% of the total. Ukraine, Russia, and the United States each produced about one million tonnes.

In the United States

A pumpkin patch in Winchester, Oregon

As one of the most popular crops in the United States, in 2017 over 680 million kilograms (1.5 billion pounds) of pumpkins were produced. The top pumpkin-producing states include Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. Pumpkin is the state squash of Texas.

According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95 percent of the U.S. crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois. Indeed, 41 percent of the overall pumpkin crop for all uses originates in the state, more than five times that of the nearest competitor, California, whose pumpkin industry is centered in the San Joaquin Valley; and the majority of that comes from five counties in the central part of the state. Nestlé, operating under the brand name Libby's, produces 85 percent of the processed pumpkin in the United States at their plant in Morton, Illinois.

In the fall of 2009, rain in Illinois devastated the Libby's pumpkin crop, which, combined with a relatively weak 2008 crop depleting that year's reserves, resulted in a shortage affecting the entire country during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Another shortage, somewhat less severe, affected the 2015 crop.

The pumpkin crop in the western United States, which constitutes approximately three to four percent of the national crop, is grown primarily for the organic market. Terry County, Texas, has a substantial pumpkin industry, centered largely on miniature pumpkins. Illinois farmer Sarah Frey is called "the Pumpkin Queen of America" and sells around five million pumpkins annually, predominantly for use as Jack-o-lanterns.

Nutrition

Pumpkin, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy109 kJ (26 kcal)
Carbohydrates6.5 g
Sugars2.76 g
Dietary fiber0.5 g
Fat0.1 g
Protein1 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity %DV
Vitamin A equiv.beta-Carotenelutein zeaxanthin47% 426 μg29%3100 μg1500 μg
Thiamine (B1)4% 0.05 mg
Riboflavin (B2)8% 0.11 mg
Niacin (B3)4% 0.6 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)6% 0.298 mg
Vitamin B64% 0.061 mg
Folate (B9)4% 16 μg
Vitamin C10% 9 mg
Vitamin E3% 0.44 mg
Vitamin K1% 1.1 μg
MineralsQuantity %DV
Calcium2% 21 mg
Iron4% 0.8 mg
Magnesium3% 12 mg
Manganese5% 0.125 mg
Phosphorus4% 44 mg
Potassium11% 340 mg
Sodium0% 1 mg
Zinc3% 0.32 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water91.6 g

Link to USDA Database entry
Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.

In a 100-gram (3.5 oz) amount, raw pumpkin provides 110 kilojoules (26 kilocalories) of food energy and is an excellent source (20% or more the Daily Value, DV) of provitamin A beta-carotene and vitamin A (47% DV) (table). Vitamin C is present in moderate content (10% DV), but no other micronutrients are in significant amounts (less than 10% DV, table). Pumpkin is 92% water, 6.5% carbohydrate, 0.1% fat and 1% protein (table).

Uses

Culinary

See also: List of squash and pumpkin dishes
Pumpkin pie is a popular way of preparing pumpkin
Roasted pumpkin

Most parts of the pumpkin plant are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and the flowers. When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, steamed, or roasted.

Shell and flesh

In North America, pumpkins are part of the traditional autumn harvest, eaten roasted, as mashed pumpkin and in soups and pumpkin bread. Pumpkin pie is a traditional staple of the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holidays. Pumpkin purée is sometimes prepared and frozen for later use.

Flowers

A pumpkin flower, one of the edible parts of the plant

In the southwestern United States and Mexico, pumpkin and squash flowers are a popular and widely available food item. They may be used to garnish dishes, or dredged in a batter then fried in oil.

Leaves

Pumpkin leaves are also eaten in Zambia, where they are called chibwabwa and are boiled and cooked with groundnut paste as a side dish.

Seeds

Main article: Pumpkin seed
Pumpkin seeds (matured)

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are edible and nutrient-rich. They are about 1.5 cm (0.5 in) long, flat, asymmetrically oval, light green in color and usually covered by a white husk, although some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without them. Pumpkin seeds are a popular snack that can be found hulled or semi-hulled at grocery stores. Per ounce serving, pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein, magnesium, copper and zinc.

Pumpkin seed oil

Main article: Pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seed oil is a thick oil pressed from roasted seeds that appears red or green in color. When used for cooking or as a salad dressing, pumpkin seed oil is generally mixed with other oils because of its robust flavor. Pumpkin seed oil contains fatty acids such as oleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid.

Animal feed

Pumpkin seed meal from Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata have been demonstrated to improve the nutrition of eggs for human consumption, and Cucurbita pepo seed has successfully been used in place of soybean in chicken feed.

Culture

Halloween

Main article: Jack o' lantern
A pumpkin carved into a jack-o'-lantern for Halloween

In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween. The practice of carving produce for Halloween originated from an Irish myth about a man named "Stingy Jack". The practice of carving pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns for the Halloween season developed from a traditional practice in Ireland as well as Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom of carving lanterns from the turnip, mangelwurzel, or swede (rutabaga). These vegetables continue to be popular choices today as carved lanterns in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although the British purchased a million pumpkins for Halloween in 2004 reflecting the spread of pumpkin carving in the United Kingdom.

Immigrants to North America began using the native pumpkins for carving, which are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips. Not until 1837 does jack-o'-lantern appear as a term for a carved vegetable lantern, and the carved pumpkin lantern association with Halloween is recorded in 1866.

The traditional American pumpkin used for jack-o-lanterns is the Connecticut field variety. Kentucky field pumpkin is also among the pumpkin cultivars grown specifically for jack-o-lantern carving.

Chunking

Pumpkin chunking is a competitive activity in which teams build various mechanical devices designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible. Catapults, trebuchets, ballistas and air cannons are the most common mechanisms.

Pumpkin festivals and competitions

Giant Cucurbita maxima pumpkins

Growers of giant pumpkins often compete to grow the most massive pumpkins. Festivals may be dedicated to the pumpkin and these competitions. In the United States, the town of Half Moon Bay, California, holds an annual Art and Pumpkin Festival, including the World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

The record for the world's heaviest pumpkin, 1,247 kg (2,749 lb), was most recently set in 2023.

There's a Finnish pumpkin festival called Pumpkin Weeks (Kurpitsaviikot), which are held every October in Salo, Finland, and there, at the local field, thousands of different sizes pumpkins and carved jack-o'-lanterns are presented to tourists.

Folk medicine

Pumpkins have been used as folk medicine by Native Americans to treat intestinal worms and urinary ailments, and this Native American remedy was adopted by American doctors in the early nineteenth century as an anthelmintic for the expulsion of worms. In Germany and southeastern Europe, seeds of C. pepo were also used as folk remedies to treat irritable bladder and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In China, C. moschata seeds were also used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of the parasitic disease schistosomiasis and for the expulsion of tape worms.

Folklore and fiction

There is a connection in folklore and popular culture between pumpkins and the supernatural, such as:

  • The custom of carving jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins derives from folklore about a lost soul wandering the earth.
  • In the fairy tale Cinderella, the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage for the title character, but at midnight it reverts to a pumpkin.
  • In some adaptations of Washington Irving's ghost story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman is said to use a pumpkin as a substitute head.

In most folklore the carved pumpkin is meant to scare away evil spirits on All Hallows' Eve (that is, Halloween), when the dead were purported to walk the earth.

Cultivars

See also: List of gourds and squashes

The species and varieties include many economically important cultivars with a variety of different shapes, colors, and flavors that are grown for different purposes. Variety is used here interchangeably with cultivar, but not with species or taxonomic variety.

Image Name Species Origin Description
Al Hachi Cucurbita moschata Kashmir The people of Kashmir dry Al Hachi pumpkins to eat in the winter, when snowfall can isolate the valley.
Big Max Cucurbita maxima United States Big Max can exceed 100 pounds (45 kg) and 20 in (510 mm) in diameter under ideal growing conditions. The variety was hybridized for its size during the early 1960s. Individual fruits are round to slightly flattened.
Calabaza Cucurbita moschata Cuba and West Indies The calabaza is a variety originating in Cuba and the West Indies. It is also cultivated in the Philippines and United States.
Cheese pumpkin Cucurbita moschata North America, possibly from an origin in Central America So-called for its resemblance to a wheel of cheese, this cultivar has been noted for its long storage ability as well as relatively poor culinary characteristics. One of Duchesne's 1786 botanical illustrations depicts a fruit that has been identified with the Cheese Pumpkin.
Connecticut field pumpkin Cucurbita pepo North America Considered to be "one of the oldest pumpkins in existence". Widely used for autumn decorations, either whole or as jack-o'-lanterns.
Dickinson pumpkin Cucurbita moschata North America The oblong, ribbed fruits weigh up to 40 pounds and are widely used for canning. Derived from the Kentucky field pumpkin by Elijah Dickinson when he moved to Illinois in 1835. Libby's Select is classified either as a selection from the Dickinson Pumpkin or a selection from the same parent lineage.
Dill's Atlantic Giant Cucurbita maxima North America Dill's Atlantic Giant was bred by Howard Dill from sources including the Mammoth Pumpkin variety. The variety were patented in 1979, who then went on to set the giant pumpkin in 1980 with a 459 lb (208 kg) record.
Galeux d'Eysines Cucurbita maxima France The Galeux d'Eysines is mentioned in the Vilmorin-Andrieux vegetable catalogue Les Plantes Potagères in 1883. It is noted for peanut-sized growths on its skin, caused by a buildup of sugar. Its name may have originally been Brodé galeux d'Eysines, translating to embroidered with scabs, from Eysines. Immature pumpkins can be etched with words or designs that become warts as it matures. Galeux d'Eysines was reportedly brought to the United States in 1996 from the Foire aux Potirons pumpkin festival in Tranzault, France by author Amy Goldman.
Japanese pie pumpkin Cucurbita argyrosperma Pennsylvania The Japanese pie pumpkin is so-called because its seeds become crazed, resembling to Americans the appearance of Chinese characters or Japanese kanji. This variety was introduced by Samuel Wilson of Pennsylvania in 1884.
Jarrahdale pumpkin Cucurbita maxima Australia A variety with a blue-gray skin, named after the Western Australian town of Jarrahdale. The Jarrahdale closely resembles the Queensland Blue. It cuts easily, and has orange, sweet-tasting flesh.
Jonathan pumpkin Cucurbita argyrosperma Available commercially as early as 1891 from Livingston Seed. The name Jonathan may originate as a form of melioration against the character of Brother Jonathan which was sometimes used as mocking personification of the United States by satirists in Europe. Brother Jonathan was also used within the United States either as characterizing the epitome of thrift and industriousness, or an unsophisticated bumpkin.
Kabocha Cucurbita maxima Japan Kabocha is the general Japanese word for winter squashes. In English, the term "kabocha" is usually used for a green-skinned cultivar derived from buttercup squash.
Kentucky field pumpkin Cucurbita moschata Cuba, Mexico, or the United States Kentucky field pumpkin is among the pumpkin cultivars grown specifically for jack-o-lantern carving. It has been classified as part of a group of Cucurbita moschata cultivars historically grown by the Seminole people of the United States southeast, as well as by farmers in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. Similar cultivars were identified in Cuba as well as coastal and southern Mexico.
Musquée de Provence, Moscata di Provenza or fairytale pumpkin Cucurbita moschata France A large pumpkin from France with sweet, fragrant, deep-orange flesh often sold by the slice due to its size.
Seminole pumpkin Cucurbita moschata Florida A landrace originally cultivated by the Seminole people of what is now Florida. Naturalists in the 18th century recorded Seminole pumpkins growing with their vines hanging from trees.
Styrian pumpkin Cucurbita pepo Styria Styrian pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo var. styriaca or var. oleifera) have hull-less seeds, which are used in Austria and Slovenia as part of a pumpkin seed oil industry that presses their roasted seeds.
Sugar pumpkin Cucurbita pepo North America The sugar pumpkin is one of the earliest varieties of pumpkin documented by European colonists upon arrival in North America. It has sweeter flesh than the similar but larger Connecticut Field pumpkin from which sugar pumpkins may have been selected.

See also

References

  1. ^ Ferriol, María; Picó, Belén (2008). "Pumpkin and Winter Squash". Vegetables I. Handbook of Plant Breeding. Vol. 1. New York: Springer. p. 317. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-30443-4_10. ISBN 978-0-387-72291-7. The common terms "pumpkin", "squash", "gourd", "cushaw", "ayote", "zapallo", "calabaza", etc. are often applied indiscriminately to different cultivated species of the New World genus Cucurbita L. (Cucurbitaceae): C. pepo L., C.  maxima Duchesne, C. moschata Duchesne, C. argyrosperma C. Huber and C. ficifolia Bouché.
  2. United States Agricultural Research Service. Crops Research Division (1969). Growing pumpkins and squashes [Rev. June 1969. National Agricultural Library U. S. Department of Agriculture. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
  3. "Horticulture Questions and Answers". Garden Help FAQ. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  4. ^ Wolford, Ron; Banks, Drusilla (2008). "Pumpkins and More". University of Illinois Extension. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  5. Hui, Y. H; Ghazala, Sue; Graham, Dee M; Murrell, K.D; Nip, Wai-Kit, eds. (September 12, 2003). "Canned Vegetables: Product Descriptions". Handbook of Vegetable Preservation and Processing. CRC Press. pp. 163–191. doi:10.1201/9780203912911. ISBN 9780203912911.
  6. ^ "Pumpkin". Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper Ltd. 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  7. Paris, Harry S. (1989). "Historical Records, Origins, and Development of the Edible Cultivar Groups of Cucurbita pepo (Cucurbitaceae)". Economic Botany. 43 (4). New York Botanical Garden Press: 423–443. Bibcode:1989EcBot..43..423P. doi:10.1007/bf02935916. JSTOR 4255187. S2CID 29052282.
  8. "Fun With Words". Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  9. Kelly, Nataly (2012). Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms The World. New York: Perigee. ISBN 9780399537974.
  10. Trumbull, James Hammond (1903). Natick Dictionary. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 224.
  11. "Definition of Squash". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  12. Andres, T.C. (2004). "Diversity in tropical pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata): cultivar origin and history" (PDF). Progress in Cucurbit Genetics and Breeding Research.
  13. ^ Goldman, Amy (2004). The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds. New York: Artisan. ISBN 978-1579652517.
  14. ^ "Pumpkins in Florida". Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
  15. "White Pumpkins Hit the Halloween Market". NBC News. Associated Press. October 26, 2005. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  16. ^ Borrell, Brenda (October 2011). "The Great Pumpkin". The Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  17. Bruno Waterfield (October 1, 2021). "Belgian Mario Vangeel hopes to squash Italian's giant pumpkin record at world championship". The Times. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  18. "Pumpkin weighing 2,749 pounds wins contest and sets world record for biggest gourd". NBC News. October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  19. "Pick a Pumpkin from Massachusetts". Mass.gov. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
  20. Mt.Pleasant, Jane (November 10, 2016). "Food Yields and Nutrient Analyses of the Three Sisters: A Haudenosaunee Cropping System". Ethnobiology Letters. 7 (1): 87–98–87–98. doi:10.14237/ebl.7.1.2016.721. ISSN 2159-8126. S2CID 67774658.
  21. "Plant a Three Sisters Garden: Corn, Beans, and Squash | The Old Farmer's Almanac". www.almanac.com. May 26, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  22. ^ Astill, Gregory (2018). "Pumpkins: Background & Statistics". United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  23. Williams, Roger (2009). "Effects of imidacloprid-based Insecticides on the Native Cucurbit Pollinator, Peponapis pruinosa". US Interagency IPM Projects. Archived from the original on October 28, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  24. Canto-Aguilar, M.L.; Parra-Tabla, V. (2000). "Importance of Conserving Alternative Pollinators: Assessing the Pollination Efficiency of the Squash Bee, Peponapis limitaris in Cucurbita moschata (Cucurbitaceae)". Journal of Insect Conservation. 4 (3): 201–208. Bibcode:2000JICon...4..201C. doi:10.1023/A:1009685422587. S2CID 9891755.
  25. Tepedino, V. J. (April 1981). "The pollination efficiency of the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa) and the honey bee (Apis mellifera) on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo)". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 54 (2): 359–377. JSTOR 25084168.
  26. ^ "Pumpkin production in 2022 (includes squash and gourds), Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity (pick lists)". UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT). 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  27. Hatch, Rosie (Ed.) (2022). Texas Almanac 2022-2023. Austin, Texas: Texas State Historical Association. p. 23. ISBN 9781625110664.
  28. Illinois Department of Agriculture (October 22, 2004). "Illinois Leads Nation in Pumpkin Production".
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External links

Cucurbita
List of gourds and squashes
Species Round yellowish squash with dark green vertical stripes
Cultivars
Summer squashes
Winter squashes and pumpkins
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