Field Pumpkin
is a cultivated plant of the genus Cucurbita. It yields varieties of winter squash and pumpkin, but the most widespread varieties belong to the subspecies Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo, called summer squash. It has been domesticated in the Americas for thousands of years.
Pumpkins are members of the Cucurbit family, which includes squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, and cucumbers. All of these members rely on bees for pollination. They produce both male and female flowers. Male flowers appear first, so if you see the pumpkin vine flowering but no fruit and it’s early in the season, don’t panic. It may just be a matter of waiting for the female flowers. Female flowers appear further down the vine and may not show for up to two weeks after the appearance of the males.
Field pumpkins are most commonly seen as decorations throughout the autumn and during the Halloween holiday when they are carved and used as traditional jack-o'-lanterns. While the taste of field pumpkin flesh may not be ideal, eating the seeds after toasting them with a bit of salt can be a delicious treat!
While planting pumpkin seeds, you usually only expect vines and fruit.
What most people don’t know is that blossoms are necessary for fruit growth.
Bright orange or yellow colored flowers that grow before the fruit appears are called pumpkin flowers.
“I am in awe of flowers.
Not because of their colors,
but because even though they
have dirt in their roots,
they still grow.
They still bloom.”
― D. Antoinette Foy
“I hope that while so many people are out smelling the flowers, someone is taking the time to plant some.” ― Herbert Rappaport
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