Prepare yourself for this complicated family tree.
Fall is decorative squash season.
It is also decorative gourd season.
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Those two sentences are not redundant, or mutually exclusive.
And the reason is pumpkins.
Plus, some of our favorite pumpkin recipes.
What is a Pumpkin?
What is a Squash?
Think of things like butternut, acorn, hubbards, spaghetti, buttercup, and of course pumpkins.
What is a Gourd?
What are the Differences Between Squash and Gourds?
Now, brace yourself because this is about to turn into a botanical “Who’s on first?”
Maturation varies as well.
Unlike summer squash, they are not perishable and can be kept for up to six months.
Meanwhile, gourds are ready to be picked once their vines have become dry and shriveled up.
Flowers
Squash and gourds also flower differently.
Bright orange squash flowers bloom during the day, whereas some gourd flowers bloom in white only at night.
As a bonus, winter squashwhile typically mild in flavoris packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Meanwhile, gourds lack the “fleshy” insides necessary to be flavorful or abundant enough to consume.
It breaks the rules by being a flavorful, edible gourd and squash without high perishability.
Our Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkins reign as the most recognized and most coveted fall indulgence.
From pumpkin patches to pumpkin spice everything to jack-o'-lanterns, pumpkins are the ultimate fall treat.
It’s really no wonder that pumpkins can be so many things at once.
Here are a few of our favorite pumpkin recipes.
Missouri Botanical Garden.Gardening help FAQs.
Texas A&M AgriLife.Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?
University of Illinois Extension.Vegetable gardening: winter squash.
University of Georgia Extension.Commercial squash production.
Purdue University Extension.Winter squash.
University of Maryland Extension.Growing Summer Squash (Zucchini) in a Home Garden.
