Allotments 4 All

What's the difference between a squash and a pumpkin?

(We're having an office discussion. And as the resident vegetable "expert" I really should know!)

Found this for you.......

Q. What is the difference between a pumpkin and a squash?

A. It is all in what you call it. Varieties of each of the four species, discussed in this section are popularly called "pumpkins," and varieties of each are called "squash," more by tradition than by system. In fact, orange color sometimes helps determine what is a pumpkin. Two varieties of the same species, C. maxima, hold the records for the world's largest squash and pumpkin. The variety called squash is gray to green and larger one called a pumpkin is pinkish to orange. Shape may vary slightly, but these two freely inter-pollinate and are botanically pretty much identical. Unless you are dealing with specific rules or regulations at a show, you can pretty much interchange the words squash and pumpkin, though you can expect a fight with purists, no matter what you do.

And just to thoroughly confuse............
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/pumpkin.html

Well said DP, I am always getting earache down on my lottie about the fact that I have pumpkins rather than squashes ... but they are the same I say... no, they aren't I am told ... but no further explanation is given. So I think in terms of color and shape, and generically think of them all as squashes ...

Derekthefox :D

Well it seems then that the harlequin squash that is currently decorating my desk is actually a pumpkin. Maybe. I'll just tell them there is no difference; makes it easier for me to explain!

thanks DP!

  ;D  ;D  ;D  Aqui!

Aqui   they are rather lovely aren't they?  I have loads ripening in the house and have put the best ones in the middle of the table in a bowl.  The Winter Festival is lovely for decoration but it will be eaten eventually  :)

I always viewed them all as squash, and the word pumpkin as simply describing a particular group of squah with particular features.

I thought pumpkin was one of the squash family

I am growing an Atlantic Giant Gourd that will eventually become squashy :D ;D :-X :-X :-X