Pumpkin varieties: Overview of edible & poisonous types

• Types of Pumpkins: Edible Pumpkins
• Ornamental Pumpkin Varieties: Toxic Varieties for Decorating
• Poisonous pumpkin varieties: Varieties with dangerous bitter substances
• Edible Pumpkin Varieties: Varieties for Cooking

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There is more than the classic Halloween pumpkin. From edible pumpkins for cooking to poisonous ornamental pumpkins - we feature all varieties.

Now that the days are getting shorter and the trees more colourful, the long-awaited time of the pumpkins begins. Of course, most people immediately think of the classic Halloween pumpkin to carve. The type of pumpkin (Cucurbita) has so much more to offer: Whether orange, green, white or yellow pumpkin, edible like butternut or Hokkaido pumpkin, or with Ornamental gourds with bitter substances. In order to keep track of all the different pumpkin varieties, we have put together an overview for you below. Here you will find the right variety for every purpose - whether you want to cook a delicious pumpkin soup or put up a carved pumpkin face as a decoration for Halloween.

Types of Pumpkins: Edible Pumpkins

Especially when the year is coming to an end and autumn is on the rise, some exotic foods that belong more to summer fall out of our menu. But there is no reason for regrets: After all, now is the time for the pumpkin. Whether as a delicious pumpkin soup, in a cake or simply as an oven vegetable - pumpkin can be used universally and convinces every amateur cook with its fine taste and beautiful colour. Below we present the best edible pumpkin varieties for cooking.

Edible pumpkin varieties: Cucurbita moschata

This subspecies of the pumpkin family is originally from America. In the meantime, however, a variety of different varieties has formed. The colors range from orange, yellow to green.

• Quintale: Very large and round with a slight ribbing; orange peel with edible pulp; 130-150 days.
• Trumpet von Albenga (also: Tromba d'Albenga): Intertwined form; light green tint; yellow-brown flesh; edible, but more suitable for decoration; 130-150 days to harvest.
• Violina: Italian variety with elongated fruit shape and yellow-brown ribbed skin; aromatic and easy to preserve; 130-150 days tofor harvest.
• Rugosa Friulana: Early ripening Italian variety with elongated, yellow and uneven fruits; Type: Butternut Squash.
• Butternut/Avalon: Large, bell-shaped fruits with a pale skin and an intense sweet-aromatic flavor.
• Muscat de Provence: Particularly aromatic squash; has flat-round, deeply ribbed fruits with a light orange to brownish skin; the firm flesh is bright orange in color and very tasty; The variety is also characterized by its long shelf life.
• Solor: Very robust variety that has proven particularly effective in organic cultivation; the high carotene content gives the fruit and pulp a deep orange colour, making it a popular decorative pumpkin; firm and nutty-pithy tasting pulp; Type: Hokkaido.
• Olga: variety of oil pumpkin with a soft, green-yellow skin; the tasty seeds are huskless and contain high-quality pumpkin seed oil; the seeds are said to have a healing effect on bladder and prostate problems.
• Rocket F1: squash with handy, round fruits; bright orange color; ideal for decoration; orange-yellow flesh; suitable for canning.
• Big Max: Giant pumpkin with hard-skinned orange fruits; great for carving jack-o'-lanterns.
• Atlantic Giant: giant squash; can achieve record weights (European record 2009 with approx. 650 kilos); light orange fruits; yellow, tasty pulp; good for canning.

Tip: In addition to the variety, the nutrient supply is also an important prerequisite for a rich pumpkin harvest. For strong and resilient pumpkin plants, it is best to use a primarily organic organic fertilizer such as our Plantura Organic Tomato Fertilizer with a three-month long-term effect.

• Early Butter Nut F1: squash with pale, bell-shaped fruits; sweet and aromatic pulp.
• Sweet Jack F1: Round, deep orange fruits with a dark stalk; tasty pulp.
• Tiana F1: Mini butternut squash variety with pale yellow, bell-shaped fruits; dark, tasty pulp; also very popular as decoration.
• Honeynut: "Little Butternut" with bell-shaped fruits; solid orange shell increases its field resistance; the orange flesh is extremely sweet in taste; resistant to powdery mildew.
• Futsu Black: Small, flat-round fruits with deep ribbing and isolated warts; the skin is initially dark green, later beige with a gray coating; delicious orange pulp.
• Longue De Nice: Club-shaped fruits that are already greenstate can be eaten; when mature, the skin is colored beige; excellent flesh.
• Serpente Di Sicilia: Italian variety with very elongated fruits and light green skin; yellow, firm flesh; early to medium early ripening.

Edible pumpkin varieties: Lagenaria siceraria

This species of gourd is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world and is ideal for eating.

• Herkuleskeule Snake: unusual climbing plant from southern Italy with bottle-shaped fruits up to 2 m long; very tasty pulp, can be prepared like braised cucumbers or zucchini.
• Weinheber Kittenberger: The variety originally comes from Styria; fruit shaped like a wine siphon; the young fruits are edible; dried, the fruit can also be used as a vessel or musical instrument.

Edible pumpkin varieties: Cucurbita pepo

The garden squash is one of the most commonly used types of squash and is particularly noticeable because of its climbing or creeping growth. In 2005 it was named medicinal plant of the year. The Classic Halloween Pumpkin Carving also falls into this class.

• Pyza (also: spaghetti squash): Light yellow, oval-shaped fruit with light yellow flesh that breaks up into individual, spaghetti-like fibers after cooking; high-yielding variety; ideal for greening compost heaps.
• Tiana: Pear-shaped shape and light yellow hue; firm and tasty pulp; resistant to powdery mildew; definitely worth growing; Type: Butternut Squash.
• Vegetable Spaghetti: Italian variety; oblong-oval fruits with pale orange color and light flesh.
• Gleisdorfer Ölkürbis: Small, round pumpkin with a yellow skin and irregular green stripes; the nutty-tasting kernels are particularly popular because they have no shell; also used as a prostate remedy.
• Mandarin: ornamental and edible pumpkin with yellow-orange skin and deep ribbing; extremely aromatic pulp; long shelf life.
• Tom Fox: The classic Halloween pumpkin; Fruits grow in different shapes and can weigh up to 8 kg; ideal for carving.
• Spaghetti Squash: the vegetable spaghetti squash gets its name from the spaghetti-like fibers; Skin and flesh are pale yellow in colour; ideal for greening compost heaps.
• Baby Bear: Perfect mini pumpkin withrich orange peel; extremely tasty pulp; also suitable for cultivation in pots or on the balcony.
• Microwave pumpkin SC 415 F1: Deep yellow fruits with orange stripes, very decorative; high food value; after the seeds have been scooped out, the squash can be microwaved for 5 minutes and then served.
• Bush Delicata: Bush-like growing variety with small, elongated fruits and yellow-green, striped skin; very tasty pumpkin variety.
• Pâtisson Blanc: Flat-round, flower-like fruit with a striking snow-white skin.
• Rondini: Small, round fruits with dark green skin and yellow flesh.
• Jack O'Lantern: Classic Halloween Pumpkin; ideal for hollowing out; also tastes great as a soup.
• Herakles: Round variety of oil gourd with yellow, ribbed skin and pale green stripes; forms many, shellless seeds that are suitable for direct consumption or for the production of pumpkin seed oil.

Edible pumpkin varieties: Cucurbita maxima

The subspecies of the giant pumpkin produces the largest fruit in the entire plant kingdom. But not only the decorative value of these giants is remarkable, but also the variety of taste. This type of pumpkin is also suitable for consumption.

• Green Delicious: ancient variety preserved and propagated by the Arche Noah association; very aromatic, deep yellow flesh; definitely worth growing.
• Delica (F1): Early ripening Italian pumpkin variety, with green, round pumpkins; high-yield, easy to store and tasty.
• Berrettina Piacentina: Italian pumpkin variety with green-grey skin and yellow-orange flesh; Early to medium early ripening and can be stored for an extremely long time.
• Lunga Di Napoli: Italian variety with elongated fruits; dark green skin with light green patterns; firm, orange flesh.
• Marina Di Chioggia: Traditional Italian pumpkin variety; very warty, uneven skin with grey-green colouring.
• Gialla Quintale: Italian variety; smooth, orange peel; yellow and sweet flesh.
• Sweet Dumpling: Extremely decorative squash with a creamy white skin and dark green stripes; yellow-orange pulp has a chestnut-like taste.
• Harvest Princess F1: The classic Halloween pumpkin in miniature.
• Rouge tres hativ d`Etampes: Flat-round, broadly ribbed fruits with a bright orange skin; particularly delicate, orange-coloredpulp; Type : Red hundredweight.
• Rouge vif d'Etampes: Proven variety from the south of France; 5 - 7 kg heavy, flat-round fruits with deeply ribbed, orange peel; extremely decorative; very popular in the kitchen because of its aromatic pulp.
• Uchiki Kuri: Small, onion-shaped fruits; smooth, bright orange skin; the orange-red flesh tastes like chestnuts; Type: Hokkaido.
• Crown Prince F1: The blue-grey skin of the flat, round fruits is an absolute eye-catcher for every garden; the flesh is light orange in color and has a nutty-sweet aroma.
• Red Centner: One of the most popular squash varieties with large, flattened fruits; the skin is an attractive reddish-orange colour; the red flesh is very tasty and has a long shelf life.
• St. Martin Lantern Gourd: Oval, orange colored fruits; ideal hollow-out variety for Halloween lanterns ; Due to the firm and tasty pulp, it is also very suitable as a squash.
• Yellow Centner: Preserve variety with large, yellow fruits; very long shelf life and with bright yellow flesh.
• Orange Agro: Pale yellow, club-shaped squash with deep orange flesh
• Red Kuri (also: Hubbard, Carotakürbis): The teardrop-shaped fruits shine in a striking orange; the flesh is also bright orange in color due to the high carotene content and tastes wonderfully nutty; Type: Hokkaido.
• Amoro: Small, deep-ribbed fruits; orange peel is very thin and peels off easily; the pulp is very tender and fragrant; also suitable for cultivation in large tubs or raised beds; Type: Hokkaido.
• Bischofsmütze (also: Türkenturban): Unusual shape consisting of a round, orange base and a kind of green-striped hat on top; very tasty.
• Blue Ballet: Rather small, teardrop-shaped fruits with grey-green skin; the yellow-orange flesh has a delicate chestnut aroma; very well storable.

• Buttercup: Flattened, slightly angular fruits with a dark green, hard skin; The flesh is bright orange, very creamy and has a slightly nutty aroma.
• Green Hokkaido: Small, flat-topped variety with green skin and yellow-orange flesh.
• Solor: Comparable to 'Red Kuri', but smaller fruits; Type: Hokkaido.
• Golden Hubbard: Very firm, elongated fruits with many warts; Skin and flesh are bright orange in color; very well storable.
• Vert Olive: variety bred in France before 1885; teardrop-shaped, olive-like fruits with a smooth, dark green skin; firm flesh, known for its excellent taste.
• Gran Gigante: Winning variety of largest squash in the Guinness Book of World Records; the skin of the round fruit is orange in color and ribbed; Firm, yellow-orange flesh with a high water content.
• Yellow Pumpkin: Giant round pumpkin with a smooth, pale orange skin weighing about 30 kg; yellow, firm flesh with a very high water content; ideal for pickling or for soups.
• Mini Hokkaido Zora: Compact habit ideal for pot cultivation; Flesh has excellent flavor.
• Jaune gros de Paris: Round giant pumpkin with a smooth, pale yellow skin; particularly suitable for wet preservation and for pickling.
• Fictor: Edible pumpkin that looks very similar to the 'Solor' variety.

Ornamental Pumpkin Varieties: Toxic Varieties for Decorating

In the case of ornamental pumpkins, it should always be noted that these pumpkin varieties are only suitable for decorative purposes and may not be eaten. All ornamental gourds contain the poisonous bitter substance cucurbitacin and are therefore not edible. Nevertheless, the cultivation is worthwhile, as they enrich every garden with their colorful variety and also spread an autumnal flair in the house. The following types of pumpkin are ideal for decorating.

Gourds: Cucurbita pepo

This type of pumpkin was already cultivated in South America 9000 years ago. At that time, the main interest was of course the cultivation as a useful and edible plant. In addition to the edible varieties already mentioned, there are now also numerous ornamental pumpkin varieties of the Cucurbita pepo species, which may not look good on the plate, but still look good on the table.

• Bicolor Pear: pear and bottle shaped gourds with stripes; half dark green, half bright yellow; very decorative.
• Wart Mix: Some seed companies sell a mix of different squashes with a very warty, uneven skin under this name.
• Turban Mixture: Mixture of turban gourds, popular for fall decoration.
• Gooseneck: bright yellow, uneven, warty skin; pear-like shape with curved neck.
• Speckled Swan: variety belongs to the bottle gourd; ornamental gourdthe tropics with dull green skin and decorative silvery spots; develops the characteristic curved gooseneck.
• Crown-Shaped Mixture: Mixture of claw and crown-like fruits in a variety of highly decorative colors.
• Indian mixture: magnificent mixture with small fruits in different shapes and colors; perfect for decorating.
• Autumn Wings: ornamental squash mix with whimsically shaped fruits in eye-catching colours; perfect for autumn decoration.
• Gourd mix: Attractive decoration without carving with knives; Faces and figures can be easily drawn on the smooth shell of this mixture.
• Villa Kunterbunt: ornamental pumpkin mix of colorful and varied varieties.
• Bottle Gourd Mix: Contains a variety of weird and bottle-shaped fruits.

Poisonous pumpkin varieties: Varieties with dangerous bitter substances

Many of the colorful ornamental gourds mentioned above are definitely not suitable for consumption. They contain dangerous bitter substances (cucurbitacins). You should also be careful with home-grown squash from your own garden if you notice a bitter taste in your harvest. The decisive genes for the bitter substances can appear in the plant again through reverse mutations or crosses with wild varieties. In this case, you should definitely not eat the pumpkin. Consuming fruits with a high content of bitter substances can lead to nausea, vomiting and intestinal problems. In principle, all common ornamental pumpkin varieties are not edible, but the following varieties are particularly poisonous.

Poisonous Pumpkin Varieties:

• Bicolor Pear
• Turbane Pumpkin
• Gooseneck
• Speckled Swan
• Lagenaria siceraria

You can find more information about poisonous pumpkins in our special article.

Edible Pumpkin Varieties: Varieties for Cooking

Despite the danger of the bitter substances, most pumpkin varieties are actually edible and ideal for cooking. There is basically no danger from the supermarket goods, which mostly belong to the type of garden pumpkins. With pumpkins from your own cultivation, it is advisable to pay attention to the bitter taste. At the slightest sign of bitterness, we would always recommend not eating the squash and spitting out the bitter bit immediately for the sake of your he alth. To avoid crossing different types of squash, it is advisable to use edible andDo not grow ornamental gourds close together in the garden. In this way, the dangerous bitter substances cannot be fatal to you. You can cook and consume the following varieties without hesitation.

Edible Pumpkin Varieties:

• Hokkaido
• Butternut
• Uchiki Kuri
• Vegetable Spaghetti
• Muscat de Provence

After choosing the right variety, it's time to plant and care for the pumpkins. You can find out what you should consider in our article.

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