Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitaceae) cv. Snowman

ENG	Pumpkin
SK	Tekvica obyčajná
CZ	tykev obecná
PL	Dynia zwyczajna
HU

Using

Winter pumpkin fruit have a high - carotenoids and low content of 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 Cucurbita spp. with round fruits usually harvester when mature. They are usually 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. ‘Snowman’ is featured of the fruits with white rind and yellow/orange flesh, weighting on average 2.5 kg.

Why to have the plant in your garden:

A beautiful ornamental pumpkin with snow white fruit which reached the size of footballs. What do you think about an interior design – the snowman which does not thaw :).

Text:

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

Photo:

Links to scientific articles (if it is possible):

Perez Gutierrez R.M. 2016. Review of Cucurbita pepo (Pumpkin) its phytochemistry and pharmacology. Med. Chem. 6(1): 12-21;

Gajewski M., Radzanowska J., Danilcenko H., Jariene E., Cerniauskiene J. 2008. Quality of pumpkin cultivars in relation to sensory characteristics. Not. Bot. Horti Agrobot. Cluj-Napoca: 36(1): 73-79;