Why a Pumpkin is a Squash and a Squash is a Pumpkin (2024)

FAQs

Is squash a pumpkin or pumpkin a squash? ›

Technically, pumpkins and squash aren't all that different from one another; in fact, a pumpkin is merely a type of squash. However, these two items are used in different dishes and feature very different textures.

Characteristics commonly used to define pumpkin include smooth and slightly ribbed skin and deep yellow to orange color, although white, green, and other pumpkin colors also exist. While Cucurbita pepo pumpkins generally weigh between 3 and 8 kilograms (6 and 18 lb), giant pumpkins can exceed a tonne in mass.

All three species have varietals that are decidedly 'squash' shaped and colored and hence called 'squash. ' And some that are orange and round and so of course, called 'pumpkins. ' They are the exact same species. They all originated from the America's.

0ur word "squash" comes from the Massachuset Indian word askutasquash, meaning "eaten raw or uncooked." Although the Indians may have eaten some forms of squash without cooking, today we like our squashes cooked.

Is cucumber a squash? In botanical terms, the cucumber is classified as a pepo, a type of botanical berry with a hard outer rind and no internal divisions. Cucumbers and squash are members of the Cucurbitaceae plant family, commonly called "cucurbits".

So, here's the thing: All zucchini are squash, but not all squash are zucchini. Are you even more confused now? The term "squash" refers to a plant species within the gourd family, which is further divided into winter squash and summer squash.

If you're buying a can of pumpkin off the shelf, you should know that it's not made from the same orange jack-o'-lantern pumpkins you carve, or even their daintier, sweeter cousins, sugar pumpkins (also known as pie pumpkins). In fact, canned pumpkin is actually squash. We know, big news. BIG.

Answer. A pumpkin, from a botanist's perspective, is a fruit because it's a product of the seed-bearing structure of flowering plants. Vegetables, on the other hand, are the edible portion of plants such as leaves, stems, roots, bullbs, flowers, and tubers.

The word “pumpkin” originates from “peopon,” which means “large melon” in Greek. It then evolved to “pompon” in French and “pumpion” in Britain. The Americans later changed it to “pumpkin,” the name we still use today.

Pumpkin is a superfood for dogs. It contains essential micronutrients and fiber that make it a very nutritious treat. Besides being a natural stomach soother, pumpkin also helps to remove excess water in a dog's digestive tract.

Which pumpkin is sweeter? ›

Butternut Pumpkins

Butternuts are a little sweeter, dryer and can be turned into soups, roasted with cinnamon or put to use in most cooked pumpkin dishes.

Courgette or Zucchini

English zucchini goes by courgette in England, the French word for the green gourd. The United States inherited the Italian name, and both terms reference the summer squash. Note that the word squash refers to a fruity drink in Britain, and a mature version of the courgette fruit becomes marrow.

Eggplant, on the other hand, is classified as a Nightshade, and its scientific name is Solanum melongena. Aubergine and guinea squash are other common names for eggplant. While eggplant is occasionally called a squash, it has no relation to zucchini or the rest of the squash family.

Pumpkins generally are round and symmetrical, sitting squarely on their base. Squash tend to be oblong or pointed at their base, causing them to not sit flat like a pumpkin. Gourds are similar to squash in this way, growing in all sorts of odd shapes, often oblong or with crooked necks.

Dickinson pumpkins, also known as Dickinson squash, are the pumpkins used to make the majority of canned pumpkin we eat today. But Dickinson pumpkins are tan pumpkins with uniform, smooth skin that are much larger than the average field pumpkin. They're also sometimes called squash, not pumpkins.

Did you know pumpkins and butternut squash are cousins?

Americans call some types of winter pumpkin 'squash' but Australians use the term squash for what Americans call 'summer squash'. All types of squash belong to the cucumber family.

Butternut, buttercup, honeynut and acorn squashes are all suitable substitutes. Each of these types of squash has a similar texture to pumpkin and some natural sweetness. To substitute these squashes for pumpkin, prepare them as you would pumpkin for fresh pumpkin puree: clean, roast, puree in a food processor.