Squash
Jack O'Lantern squash
Jack O'Lantern squash: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
'Jack O'Lantern' is a pumpkin variety of Cucurbita pepo, in the squash family. Its orange, rounded and slightly ribbed fruits recall the familiar outline of Halloween pumpkins. Their rind surrounds edible flesh and a central cavity containing the seeds. Shape and colour are among its main attractions, without every fruit from one plant having an identical size or outline. It is a different species from Cucurbita maxima pumpkins, although everyday names for pumpkins and squashes often overlap. This botanical distinction helps identify the variety without changing its familiar seasonal appearance.The variety is mainly chosen for decoration and carved lanterns. Its name refers to that use but identifies a particular cultivar here, rather than every pumpkin used for Halloween. A whole fruit can also form part of an autumn display without being carved. The flesh can be used in soups, although eating quality is not its main attraction. It should therefore…
