Squash
Musk squash
Musk squash: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Musk squashes belong to Cucurbita moschata, in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This species includes many varieties, such as butternut types and Musquée de Provence. The name therefore does not describe one fixed fruit shape or colour. Some varieties produce elongated fruits with a swollen end, while others have rounded, ribbed fruits. Size, skin colour and the distribution of seeds vary with the selection. A general species description cannot replace the distinctive features of an individual cultivar when comparing different squashes.The plant usually has a trailing habit, with long herbaceous stems and tendrils. Its growth can occupy a substantial area even when the fruit itself is relatively small. Large leaves are lobed and may show pale markings near the veins. Such patterns are not, by themselves, evidence of disease. Yellow male and female flowers occur separately on the same plant. A female flower has a swollen ovary at its base that…
