Summer squash
Squashes harvested when immature
- 1 min read
- 2 chapters
Explore on Lably
ToursExplore Lably’s 3D toursCultivation
Summer squash often have a bushy growth habit, unlike the rambling vines of many winter squash varieties.
The varieties grown for use as summer squash vary by region and culture but include types from each of the five Cucurbita species generally acknowledged as domesticated.
The species Cucurbita pepo is thought to include the greatest diversity of summer squash varieties.
Summer squash varieties by species
Cucurbita argyrosperma
- Pipián or pipián fresco
Cucurbita ficifolia
Cucurbita maxima varieties:
- Zapallito cultivar group
Cucurbita moschata varieties:
- Aehobak
- Tromboncino or zucchetta
Cucurbita pepo varieties:
- Crookneck squash
- Gem squash
- Kamokamo
- Pattypan squash
- Straightneck squash
- Zucchini (courgette) and marrow, respectively immature and mature fruits of the same variety
Sign in to keep reading
One more chapter is free with a Lably account.
History
In the journals of Lewis and Clark, on October 12, 1804, Clark recorded that the Arikara tribe raised "great quantities of Corn Beens Simmins, &c." Clark also used the spelling simlin in his journal entries. Simlin, variously spelled simblin, symnel, cymling, cimnel (Thomas Jefferson's spelling) and simnel were words for summer squash, particularly Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo, common name pattypan squash. The word simnel was used because of the visual similarity between the squash and the simnel cake.