Courgette
Courgette ‘Black Beauty’
Courgette ‘Black Beauty’: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
‘Black Beauty’ is a courgette variety of Cucurbita pepo, a species in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. It belongs to the summer squashes, valued for fruits eaten while they are still immature. The cultivar is also called Verte de Milan. Its most recognisable feature is the very dark colour of the fruits, contrasting with their pale flesh and with yellow courgettes or varieties that have light green skin.The fruits are elongated and generally cylindrical, with smooth skin in a deep green shade that can appear almost black. Their glossy surface emphasises this colour, although the name Black Beauty does not mean that every fruit has truly black skin. The flesh is white to cream, with a mild flavour and a tender texture in young fruits. As a fruit becomes larger, its seeds become more noticeable and its texture changes. A small culinary courgette and a large fruit at a more advanced…
