Squash, Crookneck squash
Cucurbita moschata
Family: Cucurbitaceae
What it is like
Cucurbita moschata is a ANNUAL CLIMBER growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 4 m (13ft 1in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Not known in the wild.
Origin is obscure.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 5
Fruit - cooked. Some cultivars have a delicious flavour when baked, rather like a sweet potato. The flesh can be dried and ground into a powder then used in making breads etc. Some varieties can be stored for up to 9 months. Seed - raw or cooked. Rich in oil with a pleasant nutty flavour but very fiddly to use because the seed is small and covered with a fibrous coat. An edible oil is obtained from the seed. Leaves and young stems - cooked and used as a potherb or added to soups, stews etc. Flowers - cooked.
Oil: Oil
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 3
The seed is vermifuge. It is eaten fresh or roasted for the relief of abdominal cramps and distension due to intestinal worms. About 800 peeled seeds is said to make a safe and effective treatment for tape worm. They are ground into a fine flour, then made into an emulsion with water and eaten. It is then necessary to take a purge in order to expel the tapeworms or other parasites from the body. The boiled root is galactogogue.
Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.
Galactogogue: Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.
Other
Rating: 1
An edible oil is obtained from the seed.
Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.
How it is grown
Requires a rich, well-drained moisture retentive soil and a very warm, sunny and sheltered position. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 5.9, but tolerates up to 6.8. Moderate rainfall favours growth, but the roots of most cultivars are sensitive to high soil-water levels. The squash is a frost-tender annual plant that is widely cultivated, especially in warm temperate and tropical areas, for its edible fruit. There are very many named varieties widely differing in size shape and taste. Some varieties are used in the summer and autumn whilst others are harvested in the autumn and can be stored for several months. Succeeds outdoors most years in Britain. Plants are more suited to warmer climates than Britain and are only really successful in good summers in this country, they do not do well in the north. Most cultivars are day-length neutral. This species only hybridizes with other members of the genus under controlled conditions. Grows well with sweetcorn, radishes and nasturtium but dislikes potatoes. 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.
Propagating it: Seed - sow early to mid spring 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. 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 if you are trying them outdoors.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual Climber
Hardiness: 2-11
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The sprouting seed produces a toxic substance in its embryo.