Squash - Zapallo del Tronco

Cucurbita maxima
50 Days

Small round maxima summer squash from Argentina. Most summer squash are of the species Cucurbita pepo, but this one is Cucurbita maxima, which is more often associated with long-keeping winter squash like hubbard and kabocha types. The plants are more compact than your typical C. maxima, starting out with more of a bush habit, then slowly putting out several short vines per plant.

Best harvested around 2-4 inches in diameter, when the skin is still nice and tender. They're a little more flavourful than your average zucchini with a creamy but firm texture that doesn't get watery.

Zapallo del Tronco is also useful as a winter squash, and keeps for about 3-4 months. When the fruit matures it develops a deep orange colour both inside and out, and some fruits have Ayote-like streaks of dark green marbled in with the orange flesh. Pretty cool! The seed cavities are large, so they work well for stuffing. I like to chop them into chunks and toss them into curries and stews. The mature flesh has a slightly sweet nutty flavour that pairs well with pretty much anything.

Our original stockseed was a gift from our friend Ryan Gauvin at Tiny Monster Garden.