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Cucurbita pepo

Acorn Squash · American Pumpkin · Bitter Bottle Gourd · Field Pumpkin

Family CucurbitaceaeGenus Cucurbita

A hairy green shoot uncurling its young lobed leaf, with long coiled tendrils reaching out over grass.
The whole plantArria Belli (Arria Belli)CC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Annual, Ground Cover, Vegetable, Vine, Warm Season VegetableExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
annualPlants of the World Online
Height
1-3 ft30-90 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
2-25 ft0.6-7.6 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Gold/YellowExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico SouthwestGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
3-11Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 21, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 1 day

    Washed and cleaned daily for 1 day.

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

1 day from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

85% germination in 4–14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cucurbita p. 35Public domain
Show the original text
Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae). C. pepo ( pumpkin) germ. 70L(85% in 4-14 d) and 70D(none). The results were the same whether the seeds were just rinsed or WC for 1 d. The seeds die rapidly if kept under water and germ. 70L(10% on 8th d) after 17 d under water. The light requirement dies off with DS, and seeds DS 6 m germ. 100% in 70Ó. Presumably lack of access to oxygen is a factor in blocking germination of the seeds inside the fruit.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cucurbita p. 35. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 27, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 1 day

    Washed and cleaned daily for 1 day.

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

1 day from start to sowing. Then 8 days to germinate.

10% germination in 8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Cucurbita p. 35Public domain
Show the original text
Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae). C. pepo ( pumpkin) germ. 70L(85% in 4-14 d) and 70D(none). The results were the same whether the seeds were just rinsed or WC for 1 d. The seeds die rapidly if kept under water and germ. 70L(10% on 8th d) after 17 d under water. The light requirement dies off with DS, and seeds DS 6 m germ. 100% in 70Ó. Presumably lack of access to oxygen is a factor in blocking germination of the seeds inside the fruit.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Cucurbita p. 35. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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