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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Squash/Pumpkin; what's in the can?
  • Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 08:42:12 -0500


We have two major pumpkin processors in Illinois, one of which is Nestle,
which now own's the Libby label. The grow their own pumpkin varieties, the
main one being 'Libby's Select'. It is, indeed, Cucurbita moschata, which is
related to neck pumpkin, butternut squash and a few other squash types. It
is not like a jac o'lantern at all. It also doesn't look like neck pumpkin
or butternut squash. If you can find the old varieties 'Dickinson Field' or
'Kentucky Field' you'll have a similar pumpkin. The canning pumpkin is not
orange. It's more of a beige or buff color and thin-skinned. They can be
big, up to 30 lbs, and have a thick flesh but a very hollow center. They
aren't globuler but are more oblong, usually with a flat side where they lay
on the ground. They make a darker pulp than 'Golden Delicious' squash, which
is a favorite canning squash and as was correctly pointed out, is a maxima
species (like Buttercup or Hubbard squash). I'm not aware of any processor
which cans jack o'lantern pie pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) like 'Baby Pam'.

This points out how tricky it is to decide what is a squash and what is a
pumpkin. Any of the three common species (pepo, moschata and maxima) can
have examples of pumpkins and squash. The determination of what is a pumpkin
and what is a squash is more related to the usage of a specific variety.
'Baby Pam' pumpkin is the same species as 'Table Ace' acorn squash which is
the same species as 'Black Beauty' zucchini summer squash. 'Libby's Select'
pumpkin is the same species as 'Waltham' butternut squash. 'Atlantic Giant'
pumpkin is the same species as 'Burgess' buttercup squash.

By the way, if you want to see pigs have fun, throw a bunch of canning
pumpkin into their lot. They'll be more excited than kids at Christmas.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center




  • Squash/Pumpkin; what's in the can?, Bill Shoemaker, 10/24/2002

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