Topic: Are Green Pumpkins edible or how to mistake a pumpkin for a courgette.

[George the Pigman]

Well I managed to accidentally cut a pumpkin yesterday instead of a courgette. You may rightly wonder how I could manage to do that but I planted a row of round courgette plants (Di Tono) this year and in the same area planted Pumpkin "Racer". I had already harvested some round courgettes and noted a big one in a bushy plant that I took to be another Di Tono. I am used to Pumpkins sprawling all over the place so assumed it was a Di Tono and cut the fruit. Then I looked at the plant label (If all else fails read the instructions!!). It was Pumpkin Racer. Turns out this is a bush variety!
There were lots of flowers of the plant so I will will get more pumpkins but this leaves me with one green pumpkin about half the size of a football. Is it edible?

[galina]

Yes, it is.  Most definitely.  Might not have the full flavour, but fried with a bit of olive oil, an onion and a bit of garlic (and some chili if you feel that way), it should still be very nice. 

[Paulh]

It will be edible but it might not be palatable!

[Vinlander]

Definitely edible and even more palatable - in fact I prefer them for making fritters as they have an extra nutty flavour on top of the courgette flavour.

I go for them when they are about 10cm across from plants that usually ripen at 30cm+ (I see no point in growing tasteless monsters, but few orange flesh pumpkins ever become as bland as a marrow). I used to only grow them for the delicious seeds until I discovered the flesh is good grated raw in coleslaw - the only place they can equal a carrot (so I can't speak for pale-flesh types).

Cheers.