Cucurbita
< Horticulture| 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
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
Full sun, rich, moist, but well-drained soils.
Species
- 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
Monitoring for pests and diseases is crucial.
Propagation
By seed.
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Wilt
- Erisyphe cichoracearum
- Sphaerotheca fuliginea
Cucurbit Downy Mildew
- Pseudoperonospora cubensis
Cucumber Scab
- Cladosporium cucumerinum
Mosaic
- Cucumber Mosaic Virus
- Melon Aphid: Aphis gossypii
- Potato Leafhopper: Empoasca fabae
- Hopper: Empoasca recurvata
- Silverleaf Whitefly: Bemesia argentifolii
- Squash Bug: Anasa tristis
- Tarnished Plant Bug: Lygus lineolaris
- Fourlined Plant Bug: Poecilocapsus lineatus
- Melon Thrips: Thrips palmi
- Onion Thrips: Thrips tabaci
- Western Flower Thrips: Frankliniella occidentalis
- Pea Leafminer: Liriomyza huidobrensis
- Vegetable Leafminer: Liriomyza sativae
- American Serpentine Leafminer: Liriomyza trifolii
- Seedcorn Maggot: Delia platura
- 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
- 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
- ITIS
- Cranshaw, Whitney (2004). Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs. Princeton University Press. pp. 590-591.
- 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.
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