There are 5 cultivated species of pumpkin/squash (Cucurbita
spp.), but only 3 of them (C. pepo, C. maxima and C. moschata)
are commonly grown worldwide. Two other ones (C. ficifolia and C.
argyrosperma/mixta) are grown only in some areas (very rarely in
Europe). Bellow I am describing my experiences with growing these two last species.
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The Black-seed Squash (Cucurbita ficifolia) female flower visited by bees |
Black-seed Squash, Cidra, Fig-leaf Gourd, Malabar Gourd, Pie Melon, Sidra,
Thai Marrow (Cucurbita ficifolia) this is mountain tropical perennial herbaceous
climber which creates almost roundish green and white striped (similar to
watermelon in appearance) or uniformly white, medium size (5-6kg = 11-13lb
weight) fruits. This is a perennial vine adapted to the temperate climate of
the mountains of the Americas (from Chile to California). The plant is also
cultivated in the tropics, e.g. in the Philippines or in India (one of its
names is "Malabar Gourd", which indicates Indian origin - which is
the rest untrue, because all pumpkins come from the New World). In Europe, some
people know it, because the common cucumbers were grafted on it (then better
and faster fruit and be more resistant
to disease). There are many cultivated varieties of this plant, although seeds
are rarely found in the trade as a specific variety. Usually, sellers only give
a species name. However, it is not indifferent which variety we grow - some are
insensitive to the length of the day (and these are suitable for growing in
Central Europe), while others bloom only on a short day (and these can not to
be grown in open garden in temperate areas). The most popular is the variety of
green, white-spotted and striped peel, snow-white flesh and black seeds, which
blooms throughout the year (also when days are long). Unfortunately, I do not
know its name. Black-seed Squash fruits can be used in a similar way to other
pumpkins - immature ones are used like zucchini after cooking, ripe ones are
pickled in vinegar with sugar, cloves and cinnamon (so prepared have the
consistency of unripe coconut, because the flesh does not become soft after
cooking). Seeds, flowers and young shoots are also edible. The plant also has a
healing effect - it lowers the blood sugar level. The variety mentioned above
grew very well in my garden. It started to bloom and created fruits early and
yielded a large crop (usually 2-5 fruits from the plant). Fruits of most
varieties are about 20cm long. Their shape is almost roundish or oval - they
are slightly longer than wide. In our conditions, it is not perennial because
it can not to tolerate frost. The seeds can be sown in the beginning of May
outside into the ground. The fruit can be stored for a very long time (even over
2 years in room temperature) and it sometimes happens that the seeds removed in
May from the fruit harvested in the previous autumn are not ripe yet and do not
germinate. Fully developed seeds have usually a uniform black color. As the
name suggests, the leaves of this pumpkin resemble a fig (Ficus carica) ones in shape. The plant is resistant to most
diseases and pests, such as fusariosis (which is the reason why cucumbers are
grafted on it, and in Asia also melons). There exists a possibility (even for
"ordinary Smith" - it does not have to be a qualified breeder) to
breed a hybrid of Cucurbita ficifolia
and C. maxima. You just have to
pollinate the flower with the first one by pollen of the second one (and make
sure to put on a net before and after pollination, so that the flower did not
be pollinated the insect before). It is not always successful - it depends on
the varieties that are crossed. But sometimes, after such controlled
pollination, fruits are formed and fertile seeds in them. From these seeds grow
F1 hybrids, with intermediate features and very decorative fruits -
yellow-orange (sometimes also partially green) and white-spotted. I tried this
crossing but unsuccessful but I had success with other (very easy to making) hybrid
(Cucurbita moschata x maxima) about
which I am going to write a separate post.
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It have fig-like-shape leaves |
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and large flowers |
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A female flower |
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Male flower |
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Young fruits can be used as zucchini |
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The cutted mature fruit |
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The fruits can be stored over 2 years in room temperature |
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The skin is very thick and can be removed as egg-shell |
Cushaw Pumpkin, Silver-seed Gourd - Cucurbita
argyrosperma (syn. C.
mixta) is a species cultivated in many varieties, mainly in
Mexico and the south of the USA. In the south of Mexico you can meet its wild
subspecies (subsp. sororia = Cucurbita sororia) – (I am going to describe
wild squash species in other post in the future) with small bitter fruits and small seeds. This species is probably a hybrid origin - it
is supposed that it was created centuries ago from the crossing of a giant
squash (Cucurbita maxima) and musky
squash (C. moschata) - these both
species are closely relative and can be crossed easily. The cultivars of cushaw
pumpkins are grown for edible fruit flesh (which is usually yellow-cream and
often quite fibrous) and/or seeds. The seeds can be quite large and sometimes silver
edged around. Cushaw varieties are usually tastier than common pumpkins (C.
pepo), but they are usually worse in taste than musky or giant squashes -
but it depends of the variety. The quality of seeds is similar to that of other
pumpkins. The shape of the fruit is quite uniform - they are either pear-shaped,
or spherical, rarely oval. The skin is usually striped (the stripes are usually
white and green or yellow). The fruit pedicel is often very large, thick. The
leaves often have white (sometimes yellowish or silver) spots. The cushaws
varieties are extremely rarely grown in Europe (only by enthusiasts). Their
seeds are scarcely sold in our garden stores. They must be ordered online. Similarly as Musky Squashes (C. moschata),
some varieties of Cushaws are more suitable for cultivation in temperate
gardens (mainly mountain ones and/or these ones which have shorter growing
season) and some of the varieties are less suitable (ones from lowlands and/or with long vegetation
period). With the fact that usually even the most resistant to our conditions,
the cushaws yields poorly here (in open temperate garden) - it usually created and ripened about 1-2
fruits in season (depending on the variety) on the plant in my experience. The cushaws can be
sown like other pumpkins directly outside at the beginning of May.
I grew a few varieties:
"Chinese Alphabet" (with seeds covered with cracks similar to the Chinese script and small green-yellow pear-shaped fruits),
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The leaves of Silver-seed Gourd - Cucurbita argyrosperma are often white/yellowish spotted |
"Mrs. Aquillard's Cushaw "(short vegetation period, variety with beautiful, pear-shaped, usually striped fruits),
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Some varieties has very large tendrils |
"Silver Edge "(spherical fruit, white-green striped, seeds with a wide silver edge, very large),
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The seeds of some varieties are silver-edged |
"Mexican X-Top "(easy, fruit pear-shaped or roundish, beautifully yellow-white stripes),
"Miller's Family Cushaw" (with whitish elongated pear-shaped fruits),
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The neck has died shortly after harvesting (was immature) but the rest of the fruit stored well and ripened after a few months |
"Tennessee Sweet Potato" (probably the easiest, with large uniformly whitish-colored fruits, but bitter pulp, usually grown for seeds and for decoration).
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The fruits of some varieties are quite large |
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The flesh of some varieties is bitter (need to be grafted and washed before eating) but seeds are often large and very delicious |
I had not success with the "Alamos" variety (but I sent it very late - at the end of May, which may have been the reason for the failure) and “Mayo Arrota” which was also late and have not ripen at all (but created one immature fruit).
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