Summer squash

{{nutritionalvalue | name = Summer squash | image = CSA-Yellow-Squash.jpg | caption = 'Zephyr', a variety of straightnecked summer squash<ref name="JSS">{{Cite web|title=Zephyr (F1) Squash Seed|url=https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/squash/summer-squash/zephyr-f1-yellow-summer-squash-seed-2217.html|access-date=2017-09-18|work=Johnny's Selected Seeds}}</ref> | kcal = 20 | protein = 1 g | fat = 0 g | carbs = 4.1 g | fiber = 2 g | sugars = 2.0 g | calcium_mg = 20 | iron_mg = 0.37 | sodium_mg = 0 | vitC_mg = 18.4 | vitA_ug = 90 | vitE_mg = | source_usda = [https://web.archive.org/web/20180920010910/https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/45282046?man=&lfacet=&count=&max=25&qlookup=yellow+squash&offset=&sort=default&format=Full&reportfmt=other&rptfrm=&ndbno=&nutrient1=&nutrient2=&nutrient3=&subset=&totCount=&measureby=&Q506659=1&Qv=1&Q506659=0.5&Qv=1] }} '''Summer squash''' can either refer to a squash plant with fruit that is harvested when immature, or the fruit itself. The word "summer" reflects their early harvest period and short storage life, in contrast to winter squashes. Some Cucurbita species and varieties are cultivated for both "summer" and "winter" fruit.

== Cultivation == Summer squash often have a bushy growth habit, unlike the rambling vines of many winter squash varieties.{{r|WSU}}<ref name="illinois">{{cite web |url=http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/ssquash.cfm |title=Summer Squash |publisher=University of Illinois |access-date=September 15, 2013}}</ref>

The varieties grown for use as summer squash vary by region and culture but include types from each of the five Cucurbita species generally acknowledged as domesticated.<ref name=WSU>{{cite web |title=Zucchetta |url=http://agsyst.wsu.edu/zucchetta.html |work=Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center: Vegetable Research and Extension |publisher=Washington State University |access-date=10 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="vegetables">{{Cite book |last1=Prohens-Tomás |first1=Jaime |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GehFAAAAQBAJ |title=Handbook of Plant Breeding - Vegetables I: Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodicaceae, and Cucurbitaceae |last2=Nuez |first2=Fernando |date=2007-12-06 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-0-387-30443-4 |language=en |page=351}}</ref><ref name="maxima-cultivars">{{Cite journal |last=López-Anido |first=Fernando Sebastián |date=2021-07-31 |title=Cultivar-Groups in Cucurbita maxima Duchesne: Diversity and Possible Domestication Pathways |journal=Diversity |language=en |volume=13 |issue=8 |pages=354 |doi=10.3390/d13080354 |bibcode=2021Diver..13..354L |doi-access=free |issn=1424-2818}}</ref><ref name="neglected-crops-argyrosperma">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/neglectedcrops140000unse |title=Neglected crops: 1492 from a different perspective |date=1994 |publisher=Rome : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |isbn=978-92-5-103217-6 |page=64}}</ref><ref name="neglected-crops-ficifolia">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/neglectedcrops140000unse |title=Neglected crops: 1492 from a different perspective |date=1994 |publisher=Rome : Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |isbn=978-92-5-103217-6 |page=74}}</ref>

The species ''Cucurbita pepo''<ref name=WSU></ref> is thought to include the greatest diversity of summer squash varieties.

=== Summer squash varieties by species ===

thumb|Zapallito relleno made by baking zapallito (C. maxima) summer squash stuffed with corn, meat, and mozzarella cheese.

''Cucurbita argyrosperma''<ref name="neglected-crops-argyrosperma"></ref> * Pipián or pipián fresco<ref name="pipian">{{Cite web |title=Pipián {{!}} WorldCrops |url=https://worldcrops.org/crops/pipian/index.html |access-date=2025-11-12 |website=worldcrops.org}}</ref>

''Cucurbita ficifolia''<ref name="neglected-crops-ficifolia"></ref>

''Cucurbita maxima'' varieties:<ref name="maxima-cultivars"></ref><ref name="quality">{{Cite journal |last1=Massolo |first1=Juan Facundo |last2=Zarauza |first2=Juan Manuel |last3=Hasperué |first3=Joaquín Héctor |last4=Rodoni |first4=Luis María |last5=Vicente |first5=Ariel Roberto |date=2019 |title=Maturity at harvest and postharvest quality of summer squash |url=https://www.scielo.br/j/pab/a/FBz66qBjcx4Hd3kwrLcNCyb/?lang=en |journal=Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira |language=en |volume=54 |article-number=e00133 |doi=10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2019.v54.00133 |issn=0100-204X|doi-access=free |hdl=11336/123974 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> *Zapallito cultivar group

''Cucurbita moschata'' varieties:<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hong|first1=Kue Hyon |last2=Om|first2=Young Hyun |last3=Ko|first3=Kwan Dal |last4=Heo|first4=Yun Chan |last5=Yoon|first5=Jin Young |date=1997 |title=Short Information (Characteristics of New Varieties Developed in 1997): A New Semi-bush Type "Aehobag" (Elongated Squash for Picking at Green Mature Stage) Lines, 'Wonye #401' and 'Wonye #402' |url=http://www.papersearch.net/view/detail.asp?detail_key=08401590 |journal=Korean Journal of Breeding Science |volume=29 |issue=4 |page=509}}</ref> *Aehobak *Tromboncino or zucchetta{{r|WSU}}

''Cucurbita pepo'' varieties: *Crookneck squash *Gem squash *Kamokamo *Pattypan squash *Straightneck squash *Zucchini (courgette) and marrow, respectively immature and mature fruits of the same variety

==History== In the journals of Lewis and Clark, on October 12, 1804, Clark recorded that the Arikara tribe raised "great quantities of Corn Beens Simmins, &c."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/item/lc.jrn.1804-10-12#lc.jrn.1804-10-12.01|title=Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Online |date=12 October 1804 |publisher=Lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu |access-date=9 September 2023}}</ref> Clark also used the spelling {{lang|ari|simlin}} in his journal entries. Simlin, variously spelled {{Transliteration|ari|italic=no|simblin, symnel, cymling, cimnel}} (Thomas Jefferson's spelling) and {{lang|ari|italic=no|simnel}} were words for summer squash, particularly ''Cucurbita pepo'' {{abbr|ssp.|subspecies}} ''pepo'', common name pattypan squash. The word ''simnel'' was used because of the visual similarity between the squash and the simnel cake.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://triggs.djvu.org/century-dictionary.com/djvu2jpgframes.php?volno=07&page=321 |last=Whitney|first=William Dwight |year=1889 |title=simnel, 2 |encyclopedia=The Century Dictionary |location=New York |publisher=The Century Company |page=321 |access-date=2013-09-04}}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery> PipiánNica0.JPG|Pipián fresco (Cucurbita argyrosperma) Гарбуз фіголистковий Cucurbita ficifolia - молодий плід.jpg |Chilacayote or shark fin melon (Cucurbita ficifolia) Cucurbita moschata trombetta d'Albenga.jpg |Trombetta d'Albenga (Cucurbita moschata) Cucurbita maxima var. zapallito - different sizes, colors, textures from the market.JPG |Zapallito (Cucurbita maxima) PetitPanSquash.jpg|Pattypan squash (Cucurbita pepo) </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm Squash page]

Category:Squashes and pumpkins