Pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo

Family: CucurbitaceaeNative: North AmericaIdentified: Oct 4, 2026

A sprawling herbaceous vine producing large, ribbed, orange fruit with sturdy stems and broad lobed leaves.

Light: Full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.
Water: High water requirements, needing deep and consistent watering at the base to maintain even soil moisture without waterlogging.
Growth: A fast-growing, sprawling annual vine that can spread several feet across the ground.

Care instructions

Provide full sun exposure, consistently moist soil with good drainage, and a balanced fertilizer applied regularly throughout the growing season.

Full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.

High water requirements, needing deep and consistent watering at the base to maintain even soil moisture without waterlogging.

Rich, well-draining loamy soil with a neutral pH ranging from 6.0 to 6.8.

Typically grown as a warm-season annual across USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9.

A fast-growing, sprawling annual vine that can spread several feet across the ground.

Summer to early autumn, producing large yellow or orange bell-shaped flowers.

Propagated primarily from seeds sown directly into warm soil after the last spring frost.

Susceptible to powdery mildew, vine borers, and aphids; manage through proper spacing, crop rotation, and targeted treatments.

Winter squash varieties, which can be distinguished by specific differences in fruit shape, rind texture, and stem morphology.