Squash are various tendril-bearing plants of the genus Cucurbita. Squash are usually eaten as a vegetable.

They have

• a creeping vine with five-lobed leaves and tendrils
• large, unisexual, yellow flowers
• fleshy edible fruit with a leathery rind

There are several species of Cucurbita including:

• C. maxima - winter squash including marrow, hubbard, turban, cushaw, winter crookneck & butternut squash
• C.pepo - summer squash including most pumpkins, courgettes, zucchini, summer crookneck & acorn squash
• C.mixta - includes cushaw squash
• C.moschata - includes butternut squash

Summer squash are harvested during the growing season, when the fruit is relatively small, before the skin has begun to harden.

The winter varieties are picked in the autumn when mature, the skins are ripened so they harden, before being stored.

Summer squashes should be eaten as soon as they are picked, but winter squash may be stored for many months, in a cool place.�

Cushaw, the striped crooked neck pumpkin, is normally peeled, boiled and cooked casserole-style with brown sugar for the American holiday table. The cushaw are popular in Cajun and Creole cooking.

Butternut squash are very fashionable at the moment.   Joanna has a great recipe for butternut squash.

Related articles:

Planting out courgette plants

Planting butternut squash seeds