Pumpkin is a gourd-like sqash belonging to the genus Cucurbita. It has been placed in the family Cucurbitaceae. The commonly cultivated species of pumpkin are Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata. Pumpkin can be identified by a thick, orange to yellow coloured shell and creased stem running over the ground. The fruits are rich in pulp as well as in seeds. It is most frequently designated by the term winter squash in North America. The word pumpkin has been derived from a Greek word meaning large melon. The exact origin of this plant is yet not known but it is generally believed that they originated in North America. The oldest evidence suggests that they originated somewhere between 7000 and 5500 BC in Mexico. They are squash like fruits ranging in size from 1 pound to over 1,000 pounds.
Pumpkins generally weigh about 4-8 kilograms but the largest species can weigh about 34 kg also. They vary in shape ranging from oblate to oblong. The rind may be smooth or lightly ribbed. They may be orange or yellow in colour but some may be are dark green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and gray in colouration. They are monoecious having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flower can be identified by the presence of small ovary at the base of the petals. The flowers are bright and colourful with very short life spans and open only for a short duration in a day. The fruit derives its orange colour from the pigments present in abundance in them. The main nutrients present in the fruit are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter of which generates vitamin A in the body.
They are cultivated all over the world for different purposes ranging from agricultural to commercial and ornamental sales. Among the seven continents Antarctica is unable to produce pumpkins but the largest producers of these fruits are United States, Mexico, India, and China. They are warm weather crops generally planted in early July. They require high temperature as well as a soil that can retain water proportionately. The yield declines if temperature falls and the soil lose water holding capacity. As male and females flowers are borne separately honey bees play a significant role in their fertilization. They are at risk of being affected by fungal diseases.
The largest pumpkins are Cucurbita maxima. They are cultivated from the hubbard squash genotype, crossed with kabocha-pumpkin types by enthusiast farmers in the early 19th century. They are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Almost every part of these plans are edible including the including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. In United States they are very popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple. They are also cannedoil. When ripe they are even, baked, boiled, steamed or roasted. In Canada they are roasted and eaten as a snack.
A research carried out in 2007 at the East China Normal University on the type-I diabetic rats indicated that the chemicals present in pumpkins promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, resulting in increased bloodstream insulin levels. It is still not known whether these chemicals have a profound effect on type-II diabetes or not. The seeds of pumpkins are known as pepitas. They are small, flat, green, edible seeds. Generally the seeds are covered by a white husk but in some species it is absent. The seeds are very popular snacks available in hulled or semi-hulled forms at the grocery stores. They are also rich in protein zinc and vitamins and are known to reduce the cholesterol levels. One gram of pumpkin seeds contain as much as tryptophan as present in one full glass of milk. They are also good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and phytosterols.
Pumpkin seed oil is reddish green coloured oil obtained from pumpkin seeds. It is mixed with other oils when used for cooking as well as for garnishing salads. It is used in cooking in central and Eastern Europe. Canned pumpkin is considered as a dietary supplement for the dogs and cats that experience digestive problems. Raw pumpkin can be fed to the poultry to increase egg production especially during the winters. So many folk tales are also associated with them like in Cinderella the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a carriage, but it later reverts to a pumpkin. In the Harry Potter novels the pumpkin juice is a very popular delicacy among the students of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft.
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