It’s that time of year again—Halloween. That means (most) amusement parks are bringing out their pumpkins once more. Would you like me to tell you a little bit about them?

Squash is a very ancient crop. It was already being cultivated in the Americas as early as 7000 B.C. The fruit was introduced to Europe in the 16th century. It was already being grown by Native American tribes in the U.S.

In the U.S., large pumpkins are carved into jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. This requires a sharp knife because the skin of the fruit is quite tough. Additionally, undersized pumpkins are used for pumpkin tossing.The genus Cucurbita comprises a dozen species. The following species are of importance in Europe:

– Giant pumpkin (
) … can grow up to 1 meter in circumference and weigh as much as 70 kg. The vines can reach a length of 10 meters. The fruit is spherical with flattened top and bottom.

– Zucchini
The name comes from France; in Italian it is called "zucchetti," and in America it is known as "squash." It is a non-vining squash with cucumber-like fruits.

– Patisson
The fruits are about 15–20 cm in size, white, yellow, or light green in color, and saucer-shaped with a lobed edge. They are used as decorative fruits, for example in floral arrangements.

– Spaghetti squash
… has large, elongated, pale yellow fruits. Only the young fruits have a decent flavor. The cooked flesh resembles spaghetti.

– Butternut squash (
) … remains smaller and is the only variety with orange-red flesh.

– Acorn squash
… is small and heart-shaped, with a deep green or orange color, or a mix of both. They are typically sliced and roasted or roasted whole.