There are countless varieties of pumpkins and winter squash in this big, beautiful world. Here are just a few of the varieties we have this season at Sunnyside Gardens. Most can be used for much more than just decorating.
American Tondo – This is a very beautiful pumpkin variety with green and yellow stripes. The flesh is similar in flavor to a butternut squash.
Lumina – With a thin skin and orange flesh, the white Lumina pumpkin makes a striking, and easy to carve, jack o’lantern. They are also wonderful for pie.
Cinderella – The Rouge vif d’Etampes is a French heirloom commonly known as a Cinderella pumpkin, as it resembles Cinderella’s pumpkin coach. With a soft, custard-like flesh, they are a superior dessert pumpkin.
Cushaw – The long-necked Yellow Cushaw has a sweet, light orange flesh. Loved in the Southern United States for eating, they make a great substitute for mashed potatoes.
Long Island Cheese – With its coloring and flattened shape, the American heirloom Long Island Cheese pumpkin looks just like a wheel of cheese. The flesh, however, is sweeter, making it better for pie than for savory dishes.
Knucklehead – These lumpy, bumpy, warty pumpkins make the creepiest of jack o’lanterns. The skin can be quite tough, however, so carving these should be left to those with a steady hand.
Blue Jarrahdale – A stunner of a pumpkin with its slate greenish blue color. Very difficult to cut, the Australian Blue Jarrahdale work best in an autumn display with other pumpkins and gourds.
