We suggest you familiarize yourself with the description of the most popular varieties of pumpkin. Probably, there are no summer cottages in Russia, wherever a pumpkin grows. Its history goes back many centuries. It is known that the pumpkin was used by the inhabitants of the Mayan tribe, knowing about its healing properties. This vegetable has a great advantage among all the others - it can be stored for a long time, and you can eat not only the juicy pulp, but also the most useful seed.
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General information and classification
Decorative varieties
The pumpkin family includes 27 species. From each, a huge number of varieties have been bred.
In our country, 3 types of pumpkin are most often grown:
- large-fruited
- nutmeg
- hard-barked
- For hardwood species (common gourd) are vegetables with thick, woody skins. They usually ripen before anyone else - in late summer, early autumn.
- Butternut squash They love heat, so they thrive best in areas with a warm climate. Their growing season is long, most often in our country they need to be planted for seedlings.
- Large-fruited pumpkin form the largest, sweetest fruits. They are best suited for long-term storage, growing in colder parts of the country.
- There is a variety of tomatoes called purple pumpkin.
According to their purpose, pumpkins are divided into:
- table varieties
- fodder
- decorative
Let's describe different varieties for growing in different regions of Russia, taste, etc.
Read also: Potatoes: description of 73 best varieties (Photo & Video) + Feedback from gardeners Butternut squash
Butternut squash
- Butternut squash is one of the most beloved representatives of the pumpkin family among summer residents. She is from Mexico. Received its name for a delicate nutmeg aroma.
- Its popularity is associated with taste, rich color of the pulp, long shelf life. Therefore, nutmeg pumpkin is also called winter. After a long maturation, its flesh acquires a more saturated color. But it is not recommended to store vegetables for more than six months.
- This species includes many varieties. All of them have a different shape and color. In most varieties, the fruits are elongated - pear-shaped, oval, cylindrical.
- A distinctive feature of this group of plants is the five-sided gourd stalk. But all representatives have a thin peel, which is easily peeled.
- Butternut squash is best suited for cultivation in the southern regions of the country. In central Russia, you can plant it using seedlings or in greenhouses, greenhouses.
- Almost all varieties are late maturing.
Spanish guitar
Spanish guitar
- The plant was named for the unusual shape of the fruit, weighing up to 8 kg. The length of vegetables depends on the fertility of the soil and ranges from 70-100 cm, the diameter is about 17 cm.
- This is a mid-season variety that has good keeping quality and tastes like apricots. There are few seeds in the dense pulp, they are located only in the thickened part of the vegetable.
- Thin peel, the inside of the pumpkin is orange.There are no ribs on the surface of the fruit.
- The variety is suitable for raw consumption, but has not yet become widespread in our country.
candied fruit
candied fruit
- The first crop of candied pumpkin is harvested 4-5 months after the sprouts appear. The variety belongs to the middle late.
- The fruits are light brown in color, rounded flattened. After maturation, their average weight is 5 kg. The inside is sugary, crispy, orange in color.
- Candied pumpkin is widely used for the manufacture of confectionery, medical, baby food.
- The harvested crop can be transported, stored for a long time.
Vitamin
Vitamin
- A late variety of nutmeg pumpkin, the fruits of which fully ripen no less than 3.5 months after the appearance of the first shoots. One plant usually produces 2-3 fruits.
- Oval ribbed pumpkins, weighing up to 5 kg. The peel is thin, orange. The flesh is juicy orange, firm and crispy. It tastes sweet. Widely used for making juice, confectionery, and also suitable for fresh consumption.
- Fruits can be stored, but a short period of time.
Marble
Marble
- A variety with an average fruit ripening period, intended for planting in warm regions of Russia. On average, the first crop is harvested 4 months and 10 days after the appearance of the first sprouts.
- Bushes form green-gray pumpkins of flattened rounded shape, weighing 6-10 kg. Their pulp is loose, orange in color, pleasant to the taste. The peel after ripening acquires a green, gray color.
- The grade is suitable for transportation on long distances. The fruits do not crack or rot.
- At low air temperatures, pumpkins can be stored for a long time - about 1 year.
muscat de provence
muscat de provence
- Bred by French breeders.
- The first fruits of Muscat de Provence can be enjoyed 110 days after germination.
- They have a rounded, flattened shape, gain weight no more than 4 kg.
- The fruit is orange on the outside with many ribs.
- Inside the pumpkin is orange, dense texture, sweet and juicy.
- Vegetables can be harvested even before full ripening and stored for a long time at a temperature of 8-10 C.
walnut
walnut
- The plant has another equally well-known name - butternut, or moskhata. It was obtained by Israeli scientists by crossing an African and a variety of butternut squash.
- One of the few representatives of the group, which ripens in 3-3.5 months.
- The plant bears fruit best when no more than 5 fruits are left on one bush, which, when ripe, weigh 1-1.2 kg.
- The vegetable itself has an elongated shape and looks like a zucchini. The color of the dense peel and pulp is yellow. The fruit inside is fibrous, juicy, with a light nutty aroma and a small amount of seeds.
- The plant has one minus - it needs proper care to get tasty, fragrant fruits.
- Butternut can be plucked before it is fully ripe. Vegetables also ripen outside the bush, which allows them to be stored longer. Usually they are plucked in late summer, early autumn, if there is a risk of a cold snap.
- Fruits can be used both for cooking various sweet dishes and added to meat. Raw vegetable lovers can use it raw.
Read also: Pear: description of the 24 best varieties with their photos and reviews of gardeners
Varieties with large fruits
harvested
- Summer residents do not really like varieties that form large pumpkins, since you cannot eat a vegetable at a time, and it is extremely inconvenient to store it in a city apartment.
- Large-fruited pumpkin includes about 100 varieties.
pumpkin lantern
pumpkin lantern
- Refers to a variety of large-fruited pumpkin. It takes 3-3.5 months for the fruit to ripen.
- Outside, they are smooth, orange-pink in color, slightly ribbed.
- The shape is rounded, slightly elongated.
- Each copy weighs 5-6 kg. The inner part is tender yellow-orange, crispy, juicy.
- A plucked pumpkin can be stored for 3-3.5 months. The grade is suitable for transportation.
- The harvested crop is subjected to heat treatment. Used to make juices and purees.
- The plant is heat-loving, drought-resistant. Plantings can be affected by powdery mildew, bacteriosis.
Russian porridge
Russian porridge
- Belongs to the large-fruited variety. It may take up to 4 months to get the first fruits.
- The variety is considered mid-season. One bush forms 3-4 pumpkins, weighing 6-7 kg, orange-pink.
- Their shape is rounded, with subtle ribbing.
- The inner part of the medium density, painted in orange. Taste qualities are good.
- The fruits can be stored.
- By the name, it can already be assumed that the variety is excellent for stewing, baking, and boiling.
- It can also be used for canning, consumed raw.
Read also: Cucumbers: description of 29 varieties, main characteristics and gardener reviews about them | (Photo & Video) Varieties of hard-skinned pumpkin
This group also includes zucchini, squash
- This variety is most often found in Russian areas.
- Hard-bark varieties are characterized by a long stem of plants - up to 7 m. They are also called dining rooms.
- But there are also plants with short stems.
Bun
Bun
- Early variety. It takes about 3 months to get the first pumpkins.
- The fruits are small - 1.5 kg, painted orange. White stripes divide it into segments.
- The inner part is sugary, juicy, orange in color.
- The variety is suitable for storage. The harvested crop can be consumed fresh, used to make juices, diet meals, etc.
gymnosperms
gymnosperms
- Gymnospermous gourd is a group of plants whose seeds are not covered with a hard shell. This variety was known at the beginning of the 20th century, but at the present time it has begun to gain popularity again.
- Outwardly, the fruits are not particularly attractive - green - yellow. Outside covered with a dense, hard, but thin skin. The shape is rounded, with subtle ribbing, weighing 3-7 kg.
- The first crop is harvested 4 months after germination. The fruit has a shelf life of about 2 months.
- The pulp is used both in raw form and for the preparation of various dishes, as well as in cosmetology and medicine. Some sources state that the best time to use gourds is a few weeks after picking. At this point, they reveal all their taste.
- Most often, this variety is grown specifically for seeds. Representatives of gymnosperms are recommended to be planted away from other cucurbits, as they can cross-pollinate. In this case, the seed will already be with a dense shell.
The most famous varieties of gymnosperms:
- Danae
- Olga
- Miranda
- Hamlet
- Gymnosemyannaya 14
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Varieties for the Moscow region
Moscow region
- There are varieties that are zoned in certain parts of the country.
- Consider the varieties of these vegetables intended for cultivation in the open field in the central part of Russia
Chit
Chit
- Known in our country for many years. To enjoy the first fruits, you need to care for it for about 4 months.
- This is a portioned vegetable with a pumpkin mass of 1-3 kg, which have good keeping quality. They can be stored for up to six months.
- Outside, they are covered with a woody, smooth gray skin. The pulp is yellow, sweet, low-juicy.
- The resistance of the plant to anthracnosis has been proven. Bushes can be affected by powdery mildew.
Sweet pie
Sweet pie
- An early high-yielding vegetable with a smooth, ribbed orange skin. The growing season is about 3 months.
- Sweet variety, with a fruit weight of 2-3 kg, suitable for all types of processing.
- They are round in shape. The inside is juicy, crispy and yellow.
- Harvest can be stored for several months.
Melon
Melon
- According to summer residents, this variety can be considered one of the best in terms of taste, shelf life, and caring for it.Its name is associated with a light melon aroma of fruits.
- The first pumpkins are harvested 3.5 months after the sprouts appear.
- In shape, they are rounded, with inconspicuous ribs, weighing 25-30 kg. Outside covered with an orange peel, juicy inside.
- Sweet pulp is used to make juices, fresh salads, various types of sweets, used for children's diet food.
- The plant is cold-resistant, tolerates drought. Suitable for cultivation even in cold regions of the country. The bushes tolerate drops in air temperature to -2 ° C, so it can be called a variety for the Urals, Siberia.
- The variety is considered high-yielding, pumpkins have good keeping quality.
Pastila champagne
Pastila champagne
- Unusual variety of pumpkin.
- Outside, the fruit is elongated, ellipsoidal in shape. Reminds melon torpedo.
- One copy weighs about 2-3 kg. Covered with thin pink skin.
- Dense, juicy orange flesh with a delicate vanilla smell. The seed part of the pumpkin occupies a small part of the vegetable.
- In some sources, its taste is compared with carrots. "Champagne marshmallow" can be used in any form - fresh or processed. It is used to make juices, put in salads, stewed, baked. Pumpkins can be stored for a long time.
Dawn
Dawn
- The fruits ripen 3.5-4 months after germination.
- A large-fruited variety with a pumpkin weight of about 5-7 kg, rounded.
- The thin peel is divided into segments, gray-green in color with gray, pink-orange spots.
- The bright orange fibrous flesh is not juicy but sweet. Seeds occupy a small part of the fruit.
- Due to the large amount of carotene in the composition, vegetables of this variety are widely used for dietary nutrition.
- "Zorka" is an ideal variety for lovers of baking with pumpkin.
The variety is considered resistant to various diseases:
- fusarium
- anthracnose
- powdery mildew
- rot
Almond
Almond
- The bushes form hard-skinned pumpkins.
- This is an early variety. The first crop is harvested after 3-3.5 months.
- Each of the pumpkins weighs 4-5 kg, covered with a dark orange segmented peel.
- The inner part of the vegetables is dense, sweet, orange-yellow in color.
- Vegetables can be used both for cooking various dishes and as livestock feed.
- The plant got its name for the delicate almond flavor of pumpkins, which have a rounded flattened shape.
- The weight of each of them is about 5 kg.
- The plant is demanding on watering, soil fertility. Bushes are prone to infection with powdery mildew.
- The variety is considered resistant to cold. The fruits have good keeping quality, have an excellent presentation, suitable for storage.
Russian woman
Russian woman
- The Russian woman can be grown in the central part of Russia, as it is considered a cold-resistant crop.
- This is a large-fruited pumpkin, with an early ripening period - about 3 months.
- Orange-yellow fruits weighing up to 3-4 kg have a delicate melon aroma, sweet taste.
- In appearance, they are slightly elongated, reminiscent of a spinning top. Outside covered with a thick woody peel. One plant produces about 5 gourds with bright orange flesh.
- Ripe vegetables can be used to prepare various dishes, jams, candied fruits, etc.
- The variety has one big minus - the fruits cannot be stored for a long time.
- It is considered a high-yielding, transportable variety.
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Siberian winter
- If for the southern regions of the country there are a huge number of varieties of vegetables, then for parts of Russia with difficult weather conditions there is no such great choice.
- For Siberia, the Urals, it is required to choose plants with a short growing season.
- They are usually grown from seedlings.
Consider some varieties suitable for these regions of the country:
Therapeutic
Therapeutic
- Large-fruited variety, which is recommended for dietary nutrition. Ripening period - 3-3.5 months.
- The pulp is well suited for making juice, puree, various sweets, etc. Used in cosmetology, folk medicine.
- The fruits are rounded and weigh 3-5 kg. The thin gray peel is divided into segments. The inside is orange. It tastes sweet, crispy, with a pleasant aroma.
- The harvested crop can be easily transported over long distances, stored for six months.
The plant is not resistant to:
- rotting
- anthracnose
- powdery mildew
Pearl
Pearl
- The variety is considered suitable for cultivation in central Russia. One plant forms up to 6 pumpkins.
- The first crop of "pearl" is harvested after 3 months and 10 days.
- Orange fruits are round, slightly elongated, pear-shaped with a thick skin.
- They can weigh 3-8 kg. Outwardly, they resemble a butternut pumpkin.
- Orange flesh is soft, juicy with fibers.
- Good gastronomic qualities allow you to use it even raw.
- "Pearl" can be stored for a long time, transported over long distances. But after 6 months of storage, the taste of the vegetable deteriorates.
Smile
Smile
- One of the earliest varieties, bred by domestic breeders 15 years ago.
- Harvested in less than 3 months.
- On one bush grows up to 15 striped fruits of orange color with a peel of medium thickness. Outwardly, they resemble a small ball.
- Inside the pumpkins are juicy, tasty, I have the same color as the outside. Pulp with a slight melon smell.
- Vegetables gain weight of about 0.9 kg. They can be stored until mid-winter.
- The small size of the fruit allows you to use them in portions.
- The variety is considered resistant to cold, drought.
Also in the Urals, Siberia, you can grow varieties:
- vitamin
- Russian woman
- sweetie
- marble
- almond
- winter dining room, etc.
Sweet varieties
Baked sweet pumpkin
- There are about 700 varieties of pumpkin in the world.
- But only 35 plant names contain a large amount of sugar, that is, they are sweet varieties.
- To grow a tasty pumpkin, it needs proper care.
- Not always even a variety recognized to be sweet grows with sugar pulp.
- It is easiest to grow such a vegetable in areas with a warm climate.
Consider some of the varieties included in this group:
Winter sweet
Winter sweet
- A late-ripening vegetable that takes more than 4 months to ripen.
- The plant produces fruits of dark gray color, rounded flattened shape with segments.
- Each pumpkin weighs about 3-5 kg. Some sources claim that in some cases they can gain weight up to 12 kg.
- Inside the fruit is a tasty, juicy, dense bright orange pulp.
- Winter sweet pumpkin can be used fresh, for canning, home cooking.
The variety is considered:
- transportable
- drought-resistant
- suitable for long storage - up to 1 year
- resistant to the most well-known cucurbit diseases - anthracnose, powdery mildew
Sweetheart
Sweetheart
- Plant with early fruit ripening. Suitable for growing in regions with hot summers.
- Considered a drought tolerant variety.
- Pumpkin is rounded, ribbed.
- One copy is gaining a mass of 1.5-6 kg. The peel is smooth, painted in dark green color.
- The inside is orange, with a small amount of juice. The pulp tastes sweet.
- Fruits can be transported, they are well stored up to 9 months. They are used by heat treatment, used to make juice, puree.
- For sowing "sweets" it is recommended to choose a site with a large amount of nutrients in the soil.
Gray Volga
Gray Volga
- The first fruits of this variety can be enjoyed 3.5-4 months after the appearance of the first sprouts. This plant forms large pumpkins, weighing an average of 9 kg. But specimens of 20 kg also grow.
- They are round in shape and slightly flattened.
- Outside, they are covered with a thin, soft gray skin with inconspicuous segments.
- Inside is yellow-white pulp. It tastes sweet.
- Fruits can be stored, but not for long.
- "Gray Volga" is often grown as animal feed. But this does not mean that it is not suitable for human consumption.
- From it you can cook any dishes in which this vegetable is usually added.
The seed nest occupies a significant part of the fruit. The variety is considered:
- transportable
- high-yielding
- drought-resistant
Honey
Honey
- The name of the plants is associated with the extraordinary sweetness of the pulp of the fruit. Some lovers of these vegetables consider it one of the most delicious among all.
- "Honey" - an early ripe variety.
- Orange, ribbed fruit ripens after 3 months, as the first sprouts appear.
- Pumpkin pulp is sweet, crispy, with a pleasant aroma.
- By the time of full maturation, she is gaining a mass of 4-6 kg. Once collected, they can be stored.
- The fruits are consumed raw, or used for preparations, various hot dishes.
Honey gourd combines many varieties. The most famous:
- honey fairy tale (princess)
- honey beauty
- honey dessert
sweetie
sweetie
- Refers to large-fruited varieties of pumpkin.
- The plant prefers to grow on fertile soil, forms 6-8 fruits 3 months after the appearance of the first plants.
- Portion vegetable, with orange segmented peel.
- The weight of one copy is about 2.5 kg. But some fruits can gain weight up to 50-100 kg.
- Pumpkins are round in shape. The inside is delicious, juicy and crispy. Seeds occupy a small part of the fruit.
- Pumpkins can be stored in a cool place until January.
- It is recommended to use it not immediately after collection, but after a short period of time.
- The longer the “candy” is stored, the tastier it becomes.
- When transporting, care must be taken, as its bark is prone to rapid damage.
- "Sweetie" is consumed both fresh and subjected to heat treatment.
- The variety is well suited for making baby food.
- The plant is classified as cold-resistant. It grows well, bears fruit in central Russia.
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hybrid pumpkins
- F1 hybrids are gaining more and more popularity every day.
- Such vegetables are distinguished by higher fruiting rates, resistance to diseases, pests.
Let's describe several pumpkin hybrids:
Blush F1
Blush F1
- A plant with an average fruit ripening period - an average of 3 months and 10 days.
- The name of the variety characterizes the unusual, attractive appearance of the fruit. Each pink, segmented pumpkin with a dense skin weighs 6-8 kg. The pulp is orange, very juicy, tasty.
- Suitable for making juice, baking, etc.
- This plant is best grown through seedlings.
- The harvested crop can be stored.
- Seeds are not suitable for planting, they must be bought every year in specialized stores.
Matilda F1
Matilda F1
- A hybrid obtained by Dutch breeders.
- The fruits ripen 3.5 months after germination. One plant forms up to 9 pumpkins, weighing 2-3 kg.
- Fruits are elongated with a thin peel. The color of the peel can be white, yellow, pink. Segmentation is subtle. The inside is juicy, fragrant, orange in color.
- Before use, it is recommended to hold the pumpkin for some time, picking it from the bush. The shelf life is 4 months.
- Plant seeds cannot be left for planting next year.
The seed nest occupies a small part of the pumpkin. The taste of the pulp allows it to be used for various purposes:
- for salads
- baking
- stewing, baking, etc.
Sweet donut F1
Sweet donut F1
- Refers to late varieties. Fruits with a thin, greenish-gray skin.
- Sweet and juicy inside. The pulp is orange. One pumpkin weighs about 7 kg.
- Harvest can be stored for a long time. At the same time, the “butter donut” becomes even sweeter.
- Pumpkins can be consumed in any form - fresh, boiled, canned. But the opinion of some summer residents, they are more suitable for cooking sweet dishes.
- In the middle part of Russia, it is recommended to grow a plant through seedlings.
- Seeds cannot be harvested on their own, as it is a hybrid.
Hazelnut F1
Hazelnut F1
- Early variety. The growing season lasts a little over 3 months.
- The plant needs constant soil moisture.
- The fruits are covered with a reddish-orange thick skin.
- The pulp is dense, rich in starch, colored orange. With a nutty flavor. The mass of pumpkins is 1-1.5 kg.
- "Hazelnut" is baked, stewed. Due to the thick crust, it can be stored.
- According to summer residents, the pulp lacks sweetness. It does not show the qualities characteristic of hybrids.
- The seeds of the plant can be sown both immediately in open ground, and planted in advance for seedlings.
When choosing a variety, you must consider:
- the area where the plant will be grown
- purpose: for storage, as animal feed, etc.
- palatability: for desserts, stewing, canning, etc.
VIDEO: Types and varieties of pumpkin, seed selection
Types and varieties of pumpkin, selection of seeds
Choosing the best
I believe that each information comes in due time, so this time your article came to the right place. After all, pumpkin is one of the favorite vegetables in our family, we not only bake it in the oven, we make sweets from it, marshmallow, cook with baked potatoes, make a grill and even add it to a vegetable saute. In a word, without a pumpkin - nowhere! But this vegetable was relevant for us only in the fall, because we did not know that pumpkin can be stored all winter. Actually, I am grateful to the author of the article not only for useful information about each variety, but also for recommendations on use and storage.
Now, thanks to the author of the article, our family will be able to enjoy pumpkin dishes all winter long.
the required volume of the pot -capacity- to get the fruit of one pumpkin in the "neutral waters" -????
Love the pumpkin =)
Thank you!!!
Very good information!
Thanks for the information. There is a wide variety in stores and therefore, it is useful to deal with varieties of pumpkins for storing vegetables.
Thanks for the useful information.
Useful information. Learned a lot for myself.