Last edited on 29 Nov 2025. View history

Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita Pepo

Cucurbita pepo

A variety of squash

How to sow Cucurbita pepo: Direct seed indoors or outdoors

Sun requirement for Cucurbita pepo: Plant in Full Sun

Squash is a genus of herbaceous vines that have large edible orange flowers that mature into gourds or cucurbits. Squash are commonly divided into two main groups: summer and winter. Summer squash have shorter growing times, a bushy growth habit, tender skin, and are quite prolific. Common types include cucumbers, zucchini, and pattypan squash. Winter squash take longer to mature, have a more sprawling growth habit, and produce gourds with thicker skins that can be stored for a few months. Common winter squash are pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn, and delicata. Most squash transplant poorly. If starting from seed indoors, use peat pots that can be directly transplanted into the soil to reduce root disturbance. More growing information is available in individual species entries.

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Cucurbita pepo facts

Lifespan

Annual living and reproducing in a single year or less

Row Spacing

90cm median of members' seed packets

Germination

6–10 days median of members' seed packets

Days until maturity

58–70 days median of members' seed packets

When to sow

Southern hemisphere Sep–Feb
Northern hemisphere Mar–Aug
median of members' seed packets

Growing Cucurbita pepos

  1. Sow seeds in pots 4 weeks before planting out
  2. Dig a pit and fill it with compost 2 weeks before planting out
  3. Harden off the seedlings 1 week before planting out
  4. Set or refill beer traps for slugs and snails at planting out every week
  5. Water deeply at the base 1 week after planting out every week
  6. Mulch around the plants 3 weeks after planting out
  7. Hand pollinate the female flowers 6 weeks after planting out
  8. Check leaves for powdery mildew 8 weeks after planting out every 2 weeks
  9. Lift fruit onto a tile or board 4 weeks before first harvest
  10. Pick fruit regularly at first harvest every week
  11. Pull out finished plants 8 weeks after first harvest

Varieties of Cucurbita pepo

Image of acorn squash

acorn squash

Curcurbita pepo
Image of table queen acorn squash

table queen acorn squash

Cucurbita pepo
Image of delicata squash

delicata squash

Cucurbita pepo var. pepo
Image of gem squash

gem squash

Cucurbita pepo
Image of pattypan squash

pattypan squash

Cucurbita pepo var. clypeata
Image of pattypan squash

pattypan squash

Cucurbita pepo var. clypeata
Image of pumpkin

pumpkin

Cucurbita spp.
Image of Austrian hulless pumpkin

Austrian hulless pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo
Image of baby bear pumpkin

baby bear pumpkin

Image of blue Hubbard pumpkin

blue Hubbard pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of buttercup pumpkin

buttercup pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of butternut squash

butternut squash

Cucurbita moschata
Image of NZ heritage butternut pumpkin

NZ heritage butternut pumpkin

Cucurbita moschata
Image of Chuck's winter pumpkin

Chuck's winter pumpkin

Cucurbita moschata
Image of crown pumpkin

crown pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo
Image of cupola pumpkin

cupola pumpkin

Cucurbita moschata
Image of giant pumpkin

giant pumpkin

Image of green chestnut pumpkin

green chestnut pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of Hopi grey pumpkin

Hopi grey pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of ironbark pumpkin

ironbark pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of kamokamo

kamokamo

Cucurbita pepo
Image of Papapa kamokamo

Papapa kamokamo

Cucurbita pepo
Image of Ruatoria kamokamo

Ruatoria kamokamo

Cucurbita pepo
Image of Tolaga Bay kamokamo

Tolaga Bay kamokamo

Cucurbita pepo
Image of Queensland blue pumpkin

Queensland blue pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of triamble pumpkin

triamble pumpkin

Cucurbita maxima
Image of spaghetti squash

spaghetti squash

Cucurbita pepo var. fastigata
Image of yellow crookneck squash

yellow crookneck squash

Cucurbita pepo var. torticollia
Image of yellow summer squash

yellow summer squash

Cucurbita pepo var. recticollis
Image of zucchini

zucchini

Cucurbita pepo.
Image of cocozelle zucchini

cocozelle zucchini

Cucurbita pepo
Image of long green bush marrow

long green bush marrow

Cucurbita pepo

Plant Cucurbita pepos with

chives chives

Photos

Cucurbita pepo crops

Cucurbita pepo plantings

2020-04-06_08-34-27
2020-04-06_08-34-27
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Kamokamo
Kamokamo
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IMG_20180207_140636
IMG_20180207_140636
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IMG_20180207_140620
IMG_20180207_140620
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IMG_20170319_112118
IMG_20170319_112118
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Cucurbita pepo harvests

2020-02-05_06-41-03
2020-02-05_06-41-03
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Kamokamo
Kamokamo
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IMG_20190406_222253
IMG_20190406_222253
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IMG_20180415_164852
IMG_20180415_164852
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IMG_20180415_164914
IMG_20180415_164914
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Cucurbita pepo seeds

2020-03-10_09-58-59
2020-03-10_09-58-59
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IMG_20190929_180620
IMG_20190929_180620
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IMG_20180721_130724
IMG_20180721_130724
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More photos

Video

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Ecological requirements

Data from the FAO EcoCrop database for Cucurbita pepo L.

Family / Taxonomy Magnoliopsida
Dilleniidae
Violales
Cucurbitaceae
Optimal temperature 17 - 30 °C
Absolute temperature 6 - 40 °C
Optimal rainfall 600 - 1500 mm/year
Absolute rainfall 300 - 2800 mm/year
Optimal soil pH 5.5 - 6.8
Absolute soil pH 4.5 - 8.3
Crop cycle 40 - 100 days
Max altitude 1000 m
Life form herb, vine
Life span annual
Habit climber/scrambler/scadent
Optimal soil depth medium (50-150 cm)
Optimal soil texture medium, organic
Optimal soil fertility moderate
Optimal soil drainage well (dry spells)
Optimal soil salinity low (<4 dS/m)
Photoperiod short day (<12 hours), neutral day (12-14 hours), long day (>14 hours)
Optimal light very bright

Licensed under CC-BY-4.0 .

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) ECOCROP, the crop ecological requirements database. Version 1. https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/ecocrop. Accessed through the CGIAR Climate Action Data Hub, https://cgiar-climate-data-hub.github.io/catalog/ecocrop_1/.

Learn more about Cucurbita pepos

Resources outside Growstuff.