Squash (Cucurbita moschata) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Butternut squash and the pumpkin varieties behind most canned pumpkin pie filling all belong to one squash species, Cucurbita moschata. Native to the American tropics, it handles hot, humid summers better than other squashes and holds up well against the squash vine borer.

Appearance

Growth form: A sprawling annual vine.
Leaves: Large leaves that are only shallowly lobed, with softly hairy stems and leaves.
Flowers: Big yellow flowers open at dawn and wilt by midday. Each plant has separate male and female flowers.
Fruit: Fruit shape varies by variety, from the bell-shaped butternut to flat, cheese-wheel-shaped pumpkins. The stem attaching the fruit is hard, smoothly angled, and flares out where it meets the fruit.

Look-alikes

Summer squash, zucchiniCucurbita pepo

C. pepo has a hard fruit stem with sharp angles and ridges, its stems are bristly, and its leaves are more deeply lobed.

Why they get mixed upBoth are common garden squashes with similar yellow flowers.

Squash (Cucurbita maxima)Cucurbita maxima

C. maxima has a soft, round, spongy fruit stem with no angles. Butternut-type squash has a hard, angled stem that flares at the fruit.

Why they get mixed upBoth are sold as winter squash and pumpkins.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Vegetable gardens
Farms
Range: First domesticated in the tropical Americas, possibly in northwestern South America. In the US it's a garden and farm crop rather than a wild plant.
Preferred conditions: A warm-season crop that is generally more tolerant of hot, humid weather than other squashes.

Life cycle

Reproduction: Squash pollen is heavy and doesn't travel on the wind, so bees have to carry it. A female flower needs roughly 6–10 bee visits to be fully pollinated.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms: Butternut squash and the Dickinson pumpkin used for canned pumpkin are the best-known types. The flat, cheese-wheel-shaped Long Island Cheese pumpkin is an heirloom that belongs here too.