Cucurbita maxima L. (Cucurbitaceae) cv. Rouge vif d’Etampes

ENG	Pumpkin
SK	Tekvica veľkoplodá
CZ	dýně velkoplodá
PL	Dynia olbrzymia
HU

Using

Winter pumpkin fruit have a high content of carotenoids and low - fat. Seeds are a very good source of nutrients, including minerals (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mg), proteins and healthy fats. Fruit rind, flesh and seeds contain unique phyto-constituents belonging mainly to cucurbitosides, multiflorane-type triterpenoids, carotenoids, ent-kauranetype diterpene, and cucurbitaglycosides. Many pharmacological studies have demonstrated hepatoprotection, inhibit benign prostatic hiperplasia, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiinflamatory, antidiabetic, and antiulcer activities supporting its traditional uses of this vegetable.

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Sowing (greenhouse)

Sowing (field)

Planting

Harvest

Botanical description and occurrence:

Genus Cucurbita L. is native to Americas and was dispersed all over the other continents by transoceanic voyagers around the turn of the 16th century. ‘Pumpkins’ refers to cultivars with round fruits usually harvester when mature. They are annual, frost-sensitive, climbing vines, with large, palmate leaves. Plants are monoecious, bearing large, yellow flowers also used as a vegetable. Winter pumpkins show peak flavour and texture when mature and can be stored for a long time. They vary greatly in size and colour of fruit which are often used for decorative purposes. ‘Rouge vif d’Etampes‘ is a classical cultivar of French origin. It has strongly flattened fruit with dark orange rind and flesh, which usually reaches a weight of 10-15 kg. The plants are characterized by the typical creeping habit.

Why to have the plant in your garden:

Famous giant ‘Rouge vif d’Etampes’ undoubtedly is exceptional. It has extraordinary decorative qualities - great, orange, flattened, robbed fruits look like great scallop squashes. Due to excellent taste and high quality pulp it also can be a major component of jams, marmalades, preserves, fruit and vegetable mousses, compotes, juice for children or pastries. Fruits are suitable for long storage.

Text:

Dr. Agnieszka Sekara, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Photo:

Dr. Agnieszka Sekara, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Links to scientific articles (if it is possible):

Stevenson D.G., Eller F.J., Wang L., Jane J.L., Wang T., Inglett G.E. 2007. Oil and tocopherol content and composition of pumpkin seed oil in 12 cultivars. J. Agric. Food Chem. 55(10): 4005-4013;

Kemp M., Dever J., Thompson A., Metzger B., Barnes D. 2013. Evaluation of Pumpkins as a novel source for ?-carotene. The FASEB J.: 27(1 Supplement): 1079-60;