Cucurbita

Cucurbita

Cucurbits

Genus:	Cucurbita
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Type:	Vines
Pollination:	Insects

Cucurbita is a genus in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. It includes species grown for their fruit and edible seeds (the squashes, pumpkins and marrows, and the chilacayote), as well as gourds. Many North and Central American species are visited by specialist bees in the group Eucerini, especially the genera Peponapis and Xenoglossa, and these bees can be very important for fruit set.

Description[edit | edit source]

Vines, sometimes short, with large palmate leaves and tendrils. The flowers are large, orange, and unisexual, with both genders usually occurring on each plant. Fruits are large fleshy berries called pepos.

Growing conditions[edit | edit source]

Full sun, rich, moist, but well-drained soils.

Species[edit | edit source]

Cucurbita digitata - fingerleaf gourd
Cucurbita ficifolia - figleaf gourd, chilacayote
Cucurbita foetidissima - stinking gourd, buffalo gourd
Cucurbita maxima - winter squash, pumpkin
Cucurbita mixta - pumpkin
Cucurbita moschata - butternut squash, "dickinson" pumpkin
Cucurbita okeechobeensis
Cucurbita palmata
Cucurbita pepo - acorn squash, field pumpkin, yellow summer squash, zucchini

Maintenance[edit | edit source]

Monitoring for pests and diseases is crucial.

Propagation[edit | edit source]

By seed.

Pests and Diseases[edit | edit source]

Bacterial Wilt

Blight

Sclerotium rolfsii
Phytophthora

Powdery Mildew

Erisyphe cichoracearum
Sphaerotheca fuliginea

Cucurbit Downy Mildew

Pseudoperonospora cubensis

Cucumber Scab

Cladosporium cucumerinum

Mosaic

Cucumber Mosaic Virus

Aphids

Melon Aphid: Aphis gossypii

Hoppers

Potato Leafhopper: Empoasca fabae
Hopper: Empoasca recurvata

Whiteflies

Silverleaf Whitefly: Bemesia argentifolii

Bugs

Squash Bug: Anasa tristis
Tarnished Plant Bug: Lygus lineolaris
Fourlined Plant Bug: Poecilocapsus lineatus

Thrips

Melon Thrips: Thrips palmi
Onion Thrips: Thrips tabaci
Western Flower Thrips: Frankliniella occidentalis

Maggots

Pea Leafminer: Liriomyza huidobrensis
Vegetable Leafminer: Liriomyza sativae
American Serpentine Leafminer: Liriomyza trifolii
Seedcorn Maggot: Delia platura

Beetles

Spotted Cucumber Beetle: Diabrotica duodecimipuncta
Striped Cucumber Beetle: Acalymma vittata
Western Spotted Cucumber Beetle: Diabrotica undecimipunctata
Western Striped Cucumber Beetle: Acalymma trivittata
Fourspotted Sap Beetle: Glischrochilus quadrisignatus
Dusky Sap Beetle: Carpophilus lugubri
Northern Corn Rootworm: Diabrotica barberi
Squash Beetle: Epilachea borealis
Western Corn Rootworm: Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

Caterpillars

Turnip Moth: Agrotis segetum
Granulate Cutworm: Agrostis subterranea
Melonworm: Diaphania hyalinata
Pickleworm: Diaphania nitidalis
Moth: Hypercompe indecisa (Europe)
Cabbage Moth: Mamestra brassicae (Europe)
Squash Vine Borer: Melittia cucurbitae
Southern Armyworm: Spodoptera eridania
Beet Armyworm: Spodoptera exigua

References[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cucurbita

ITIS
Cranshaw, Whitney (2004). Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs. Princeton University Press. pp. 590–591. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
Pippa Greenwood, Andrew Halstead, A.R. Chase, Daniel Gilrein (2000). American Horticultural Society Pests & Diseases: The Complete Guide to Preventing, Identifying, and Treating Plant Problems (First Edition ed.). Dorling Kindersley (DK) Publishing, inc. pp. 120–121. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)