Less Common Squash and Pumpkin Varieties for Growers to Pick and Choose
Check out this array of less common squash and pumpkin varieties from some of the industry’s top vegetable breeders.
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Atlas F1 (Sakata Seed America, Garden Trends Inc DBA Harris Seeds)
‘Atlas F1’ produces uniformly sized and shaped cylindrical fruits with a slight bulb, perfect for peeling or processing. The cream colored fruit have dark-orange flesh and weigh 5 to 7 pounds. The medium vines permit higher plant populations and boost yields. This butternut squash variety matures in 110 days.
Region: Well adapted
Disease package: HR: Px
https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/11786-squash-atlas-f1?variant=39989513551944
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Blue Steel F1 (Seeds by Design)
‘Blue Steel F1’ is a dark-blue pumpkin that averages 10 to 12 pounds. It’s slightly ribbed. A fresh market variety. Matures in 95 days.
Region: All USA
https://seedsbydesign.com/products/squash-winter-seeds-steel-blue-f1
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Delicata Bush (Terra Organics)
A 2002 AAS National Winner. ‘Delicata Bush’ is a winter squash variety that is ivory, with dark-green stripe fruits. The flesh is orange and has a sweet flavor. The vines can grow from 3 to 4 feet. Matures in 80 to 100 days. A variety wonderful for fresh market.
Region: All USA
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4 of 20
Glowray RZ (Rijk Zwaan USA)
‘Glowray RZ’ is a yellow straightneck hybrid for fresh market. It delivers exceptional quality. The fancy, yellow straightneck squash has a small pistillar scar for a clean, attractive appearance. Its upright growth and open plant habit allow for easy harvesting and high yields. ‘Gloway RZ’ is a semi-spineless variety that features a strong disease resistance package. Matures in 40 to 45 days, depending on regions.
Region: Southeast, Texas, Midwest and East Coast
Disease package: IR: ZYMV, Px
https://rijkzwaanusa.com/squash/GLOWRAY-RZ-F1-prdCP10633-ctgCrops.squash
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Goldilocks (Earthwork Seeds, Osborne Quality Seeds)
AAS Winner! This beautiful golden acorn squash has bright-orange flesh with high yields; making it perfect for ornamental and edible displays. ‘Goldilocks’ stores well and has great flavor when cooked. Matures in 75 days.
Disease package: HR: PM
https://www.osborneseed.com/products/goldilocks-f1-untreated-squash-seeds
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Honeynut (Terra Organics)
‘Honeynut’ is a mini-butternut squash. It has a nice, orange-buff color and averages 5 inches long. Popular for fresh market. Matures in 110 days.
Region: All USA
https://seedsbydesign.com/products/squash-winter-seeds-honeynut-organic
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7 of 20
Kefren RZ (Rijk Zwaan USA)
‘Kefren RZ’ is a zucchini with elegant, dark-green and regular fruits. It is a very healthy upright plant with strong fruit attachment, that facilitates knifeless hand harvest. The planting period is late spring through early summer. Matures in 43 to 45 days, depending on the region.
Region: Adaptable throughout USA
Disease package: Strong: PM
https://rijkzwaanusa.com/vegetable-seeds/squash/kefren-rz-f1-prdCP10203-ctgCrops.squash
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Large Pumpkin Pileup (Gowan Seed Company)
‘Large Pumpkin Pileup’ can elevate your fall display with this colorful blend of larger stacking, specialty pumpkins. Ensure an eye-catching presentation for your retail farm market! A Gowan exclusive. Matures in 95 to 105 days.
https://gowanseed.com/products/pumpkin-specialty-hybrid-large-pumpkin-pileup
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Marcaria (HM.CLAUSE)
‘Macaria’ is a grey zucchini, with a strong, upright plant with good cover, for protected fruit. A very uniform, fruit shape for dependable results. A consistent high yield for increased profits. A mid-early maturing variety.
Disease package: IR: PRSV, WMV, ZYMV
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10 of 20
Marmalade (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
A beautiful coral fruit. Bred to satisfy the demand for smaller, premium-quality kabochas. ‘Marmalade’ offers higher per-plant yield, helping growers achieve better profits in-direct market sales. All the hallmarks of a Johnny's bred squash; delicious flavor, sweetness, and excellent storage. A vibrant color option for late fall, with improved storage life compared to ‘Sunshine’. The average weight is 2 to 3 pounds. USDA Certified Organic seed available. Matures in 100 days.
Region: Widely adapted
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Mashed Potato (Seneca Vegetable Seeds, Stokes Seeds, Inc.)
‘Mashed Potato’ is a fantastic stark white acorn novelty variety that holds its color into late fall. The compact vine is very productive. The large fruit is football-shaped with nearly white flesh. Matures in 90 days.
Region: North America
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12 of 20
Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck (Seeds by Design)
‘Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck’ is an Amish heirloom squash, known for it's large crookneck shape. It has a rich sweet flavor, prefect for roasting, baking, and soups. A great fresh market variety. Matures in 105 days.
Region: All USA
https://seedsbydesign.com/products/squash-winter-pennsylvania-dutch-crookneck
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13 of 20
RSp1232 (Rupp Seeds)
‘RSp1232’ is a Hubbard squash. It has improved food quality with 2.25 higher brix and 5 points higher dry matter than ‘NK580’. Matures in 105 days.
Region: USA
https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/squash/winter-squash/winter-hubbard/rsp1232
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Small Pumpkin Pileup (Gowan Seed Company)
‘Small Pumpkin Pileup’ are hybrid specialty pumpkins. A charming assortment of smaller stacking varieties, perfect for creating an enchanting and diverse farm market display! Matures in 90 to 100 days. A Gowan Exclusive.
https://gowanseed.com/products/pumpkin-specialty-hybrid-small-pumpkin-pileup
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15 of 20
Smooth Summer F1 (Seneca Vegetable Research, Inc., Garden Trends Inc DBA Harris Seeds)
‘Smooth Summer F1’ is a yellow summer squash. The upright plants perform best in early season plantings, offering the potential for early male flowers and increased productivity. The deep-yellow glossy fruit have a consistent bulbed-shape, and are easy to pick from spineless plants. Matures in 42 days.
Region: Well adapted
Disease package: IR: PM
https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/squash-smooth-summer-f1-seed?variant=40030420861000
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Smooth Wonder (Seneca Vegetable Research, Osborne Quality Seeds)
‘Smooth Wonder’ is a yellow straightneck summer squash. It has very strong yield potential and smooth, bright fruit. The plants are open and nearly spineless for fast, low-scuff harvests, and they perform best in well-drained soils. The fruit are slightly tapered with a medium-bulb end and consistent color, suiting fresh market programs and frequent picks. An early maturing variety at about 45 days.
Disease package: HR: DM, PM
https://www.osborneseed.com/products/smooth-wonder-f1-untreated-squash-seeds
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Space Station (Rupp Seeds)
A Rupp semi-bush kabocha hybrid, with excellent flesh color and quality. The flesh is very sweet and dry. ‘Space Station’ is an upgrade to the long used ‘Sweet Mama’. Matures in 90 days.
Region: USA and Canada
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Sweet Mama (American Takii, Inc., Stokes Seeds, Inc.)
‘Sweet Mama’ is a kabocha variety. It has bright-yellow flesh and a very sweet flavor, nutty and dry; and stores very well. Matures in 85 days.
Region: North America
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Thriller (Sakata Seed America)
‘Thriller’ is a winter squash that is an ornamental edible.
This high yielding variety has outstanding consumer appeal. The nutty-flavored taste is remarkable.
A 2025 AAS winner!
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Wan Fu (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Exclusive! This Asian specialty pumpkin has a similar flavor and charm to ‘Musquee de Provence’, but with an earlier maturity date. It makes it better suited for growers with shorter growing seasons. A beautiful, gray-to-blush coloration with a cloudy bloom on the surface. ‘Wan Fu’ has uniform, high yields on resilient vines. Immature fruits can be harvested and eaten like summer squash, or left on the vine to fully mature. Matures in 110 days.
Region: Widely adapted
Disease package: IR: PM
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/pumpkins/specialty-pumpkins/wan-fu-f1-pumpkin-seed-6557.html
View all
Atlas F1 (Sakata Seed America, Garden Trends Inc DBA Harris Seeds)
Blue Steel F1 (Seeds by Design)
Delicata Bush (Terra Organics)
Glowray RZ (Rijk Zwaan USA)
Goldilocks (Earthwork Seeds, Osborne Quality Seeds)
Honeynut (Terra Organics)
Kefren RZ (Rijk Zwaan USA)
Large Pumpkin Pileup (Gowan Seed Company)
Marcaria (HM.CLAUSE)
Marmalade (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Mashed Potato (Seneca Vegetable Seeds, Stokes Seeds, Inc.)
Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck (Seeds by Design)
RSp1232 (Rupp Seeds)
Small Pumpkin Pileup (Gowan Seed Company)
Smooth Summer F1 (Seneca Vegetable Research, Inc., Garden Trends Inc DBA Harris Seeds)
Smooth Wonder (Seneca Vegetable Research, Osborne Quality Seeds)
Space Station (Rupp Seeds)
Sweet Mama (American Takii, Inc., Stokes Seeds, Inc.)
Thriller (Sakata Seed America)
Wan Fu (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Disease Abbreviation Key:
DM Downy Mildew
HR High Resistance
IR Intermediate Resistance
PRSV Papaya ringspot virus, Cucurbitaceae
Px Powdery Mildew caused by Podosphaeria xanthii (ex Sphaerotheca fuliginea)
WMV Watermelon mosaic virus, Cucurbitaceae
ZYMV Zucchini Yellows Mosaic Virus
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Carol Miller is the Content Lead of American Vegetable Grower®, a Meister Media Worldwide publication. See all author stories here.