field pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo L.
Field pumpkin belongs to a species with an extraordinary cultivated range of shapes. Cucurbita pepo includes courgettes, marrows and ornamental gourds as well as pumpkins. Kew records archaeological remains from northern Mexico dating to roughly 7000–5500 BCE, placing this crop among plants with a very long history of domestication. Kew POWO: Cucurbita pepo
Botanical name
Cucurbita pepo L. is accepted by Kew. Its cultivated forms include several familiar squash crops. Kew POWO: Cucurbita pepo
Recognizing the plant
The annual vine uses tendrils to climb or spreads across the ground. Large, alternate leaves are palmately lobed and can feel prickly. Five-parted yellow flowers occur separately as male and female blooms on the same plant. The fruit is a pepo, a berry with a firm rind. Depending on the cultivar, it may be elongated or rounded, smooth or warty, and coloured green, orange, cream or several colours together. Its thick, hard stalk is another useful feature. NC State Extension: Cucurbita pepo
Bloom window
North Carolina extension cultivation account
The extension account records summer flowers and an autumn fruit display or harvest. NC State Extension: Cucurbita pepo
Native range
Kew’s current taxonomic treatment describes its origin as a cultivated plant from Mexico. Human cultivation has carried it into many other parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Kew POWO: Cucurbita pepo
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.