Squash/Pumpkin/Cucumber/Watermelon Cross-Pollination
Nov 3, 2022 3:55:31 GMT -5
treatlisa, lew92, and 7 more like this
Post by eljay on Nov 3, 2022 3:55:31 GMT -5
I have long known that certain types of pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, and melons will cross pollinate. In fact, I have a nice little cross of spaghetti squash and Howden pumpkin that is basically an orangish spaghetti squash that I've been growing and saving seed from for years. Some are more yellow and some are more orange, but all of them taste and behave about the same as far as cooking eating goes.
I've never quite gotten a handle on which will cross with which though until I found this web page that spelled it out. www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/squashpumpkincucumberwatermelon-pollination-explanation/ I turned it into a document to add to my garden binder that I keep with my seeds. Different varieties of pumpkin are found in different families, so if you have a favorite pumpkin and want to it to not cross with your other squash/melons you will want to look that up and add it to whichever category it belongs.
From the link above:
Squash/Pumpkin/Cucumber/Watermelon Cross-Pollination – Explanation
Plants belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family produce separate male and female blooms on the same plant. Insects are usually required to cross-pollinate blooms. Even plants that cross pollinate do not affect each other’s taste in the current year. Only the offspring next year will be affected. Pumpkins and squashes do not cross-pollinate with cucumbers, watermelons or citron. Watermelons and citron both belong to the same genus: Citrullus and, therefore, will cross-pollinate each other. Muskmelon, cantaloupe and Casaba melons will cross since they are both in the genus Cucumis and in the same species melo. When you start talking about cross pollination between squashes and pumpkins, things get a bit hairy. Squashes and pumpkins belong to four species of the genus Cucurbita. Some exchange pollen readily and some don’t. To make all this easier to understand, plant experts have divided the Cucurbitaceae family into groups. Members of the same group pollinate each other.
Group A Cucurbita pepo:
Summer squash Yellow crookneck or straightneck Zucchini, Cocozelle Scallop/patty pan
Winter Squash Acorn Spaghetti
Gourds many ornamental types.
Many Pumpkins including Cinderella, Big Tom, Jack O’Lantern, Jackpot, Small Sugar, Sugar Pie, Howden, and Connecticut Field.
Group B Curcurbita moschata
Winter Squash Butternut squash
Pumpkins Cheese Dickinson Field Golden Cushaw Kentucky Field
Group C Cucurbita maxima
Winter squash Hubbard
Pumpkins Big Max King of the Mammoths Mammoth Chile Mammoth Prize Atlantic Giant
Ornamental squash Alladin Turk’s Turban
Group D Cucurbita mixta
Pumpkins Green-Striped Cushaw Japanese Pie Tennessee Sweet Potato White Cushaw Mixta Gold
Group E Cucumis sativus
All slicing and pickling Cucumbers (except Armenian cucumber): Beit Alpha cucumber Lemon cucumber
Group F Cucumis melo
Cucumbers Armenian (Snake cucumber or Serpent melon)
Melons All muskmelons Casaba Honeydew
Group G Citrullus lanatus
All watermelons All citrons
I've never quite gotten a handle on which will cross with which though until I found this web page that spelled it out. www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/squashpumpkincucumberwatermelon-pollination-explanation/ I turned it into a document to add to my garden binder that I keep with my seeds. Different varieties of pumpkin are found in different families, so if you have a favorite pumpkin and want to it to not cross with your other squash/melons you will want to look that up and add it to whichever category it belongs.
From the link above:
Squash/Pumpkin/Cucumber/Watermelon Cross-Pollination – Explanation
Plants belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family produce separate male and female blooms on the same plant. Insects are usually required to cross-pollinate blooms. Even plants that cross pollinate do not affect each other’s taste in the current year. Only the offspring next year will be affected. Pumpkins and squashes do not cross-pollinate with cucumbers, watermelons or citron. Watermelons and citron both belong to the same genus: Citrullus and, therefore, will cross-pollinate each other. Muskmelon, cantaloupe and Casaba melons will cross since they are both in the genus Cucumis and in the same species melo. When you start talking about cross pollination between squashes and pumpkins, things get a bit hairy. Squashes and pumpkins belong to four species of the genus Cucurbita. Some exchange pollen readily and some don’t. To make all this easier to understand, plant experts have divided the Cucurbitaceae family into groups. Members of the same group pollinate each other.
Group A Cucurbita pepo:
Summer squash Yellow crookneck or straightneck Zucchini, Cocozelle Scallop/patty pan
Winter Squash Acorn Spaghetti
Gourds many ornamental types.
Many Pumpkins including Cinderella, Big Tom, Jack O’Lantern, Jackpot, Small Sugar, Sugar Pie, Howden, and Connecticut Field.
Group B Curcurbita moschata
Winter Squash Butternut squash
Pumpkins Cheese Dickinson Field Golden Cushaw Kentucky Field
Group C Cucurbita maxima
Winter squash Hubbard
Pumpkins Big Max King of the Mammoths Mammoth Chile Mammoth Prize Atlantic Giant
Ornamental squash Alladin Turk’s Turban
Group D Cucurbita mixta
Pumpkins Green-Striped Cushaw Japanese Pie Tennessee Sweet Potato White Cushaw Mixta Gold
Group E Cucumis sativus
All slicing and pickling Cucumbers (except Armenian cucumber): Beit Alpha cucumber Lemon cucumber
Group F Cucumis melo
Cucumbers Armenian (Snake cucumber or Serpent melon)
Melons All muskmelons Casaba Honeydew
Group G Citrullus lanatus
All watermelons All citrons
