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Herbal Database Search ResultsBack to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven Cucurbita pepo
Physical CharacteristicsAnnual Climber growing to 0.6m by 5m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 10 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. Habitats and Possible LocationsCultivated Beds.Edible UsesFlowers; Fruit; Leaves; Oil; Root; Seed.
Fruit - cooked[2, 27, 46, 105]. Used as a vegetable, it has a very mild
flavour and is very watery[K]. It is often harvested when still very young
when it is called courgettes. The fruit has very little flavour of its own
and so is often used as a base for making savoury dishes, the seeds being
scooped out of the fruit and a filling being put in its place - this can then
be baked[K]. A nutritional analysis is available[218].
Composition
Medicinal UsesDisclaimerAnthelmintic; Miscellany; Poultice.
The pumpkin has been much used as a medicine in Central and North
America. It is a gentle and safe remedy for a number of complaints,
especially as an effective tapeworm remover for children and pregnant women
for whom stronger acting and toxic remedies are unsuitable[254].
Other UsesOil.The seed contains 34 - 54% of a semi-drying oil. Used for lighting[46]. Cultivation detailsRequires a rich, well-drained moisture retentive soil and a very warm, sunny and sheltered position[1, 16, 37, 86]. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 5.9, but tolerates up to 6.8[86]. Plants are tolerant of light shade[86] (This comment is probably more applicable to warmer climates than Britain[K].).A frost-tender annual plant, the pumpkin or marrow is widely cultivated in temperate and tropical zones for its edible fruit. It has long been grown as a domestic plant and a number of different groups have been developed. Botanists have tried to classify these groups, though there is considerable overlap and clear distinctions are not always possible. Since they are very similar in their cultivation needs, we have treated all the groups together in this entry. The botanists classification is as follows:- C. pepo pepo. This includes the vegetable marrows, zucchinis, pumpkins and ornamental gourds. There are many named varieties and these can vary considerably in size, shape and flavour[27, 183, 200]. The cultivars with larger and rounder fruits are usually called pumpkins, the fruits are harvested in the autumn and can be stored for a few months. The marrows are smaller than pumpkins and generally sausage-shaped. These can also be harvested in the autumn and stored for a few months, but it is more usual to eat them whilst they are still very small, when they are known as courgettes. Harvesting the fruits of the marrows when very small stimulates the plant into making more flowers (and hence fruits) so it can be a very productive way of using the plant. Pumpkins and marrows succeed outdoors most summers in Britain[27], in fact many of these varieties are well adapted to cool growing conditions and therefore do well in the British climate[200]. C. pepo pepo fraterna. This is the probable progenitor of the marrows and so is of potential value in any breeding programmes. C. pepo ovifera. This group includes various summer squashes including the acorn, crookneck and patty pan squashes. C. pepo ovifera ozarkana. A probable ancestor of the summer squashes, it could be of value in breeding programmes. C. pepo texana. The texas gourd, or wild marrow, is another form that could be of value in breeding programmes. Plants produce both male and female flowers. These are insect pollinated but in cool weather it is worthwhile hand pollinating[200]. Most cultivars are day-length neutral and so are able to flower and fruit throughout the British summer[200]. A fast-growing plant, trailing forms can be used to provide a summer screen[86]. This species does not hybridize naturally with other edible members of this genus[135]. Squashes and pumpkins can be differentiated from each other by their fruit stalk, it is angular and polygonal in pumpkins but thick, soft and round in squashes[132]. Pumpkins grow well with sweetcorn and thornapple but they dislike growing near potatoes[18, 20, 201]. They also grow well with nasturtiums, mint, beans and radishes[201]. PropagationSeed - sow April in a greenhouse in a rich soil. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. Sow 2 or 3 seeds per pot and thin out to the best plant. The seed requires a minimum temperature of 13°c to germinate[200]. Grow them on fast and plant out after the last expected frosts, giving them cloche or frame protection for at least their first few weeks outdoors until they are growing strongly.Cultivars
SuppliersFor more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look. Web References
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources. Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images. References[K] Ken Fern
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951 [2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6 [7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 [16] Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0 [18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979 [20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0 [27] Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8 [37] Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878 [46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959 [57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. [65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394 [86] Organ. J. Gourds. Faber 1963 [88] RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987 [105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976 [117] Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. 1984 ISBN 0802707699 [132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth. [135] ? The Plantsman. Vol.8. 1986 - 1987. Royal Horticultural Society 1986 [179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977 [183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 [200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 [201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2 [218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4 [238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 [240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986 [254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Readers CommentsBack to: Pathways Home page, Main Search Page Help Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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