Connecticut field pumpkins are a type of

pumpkin A pumpkin is a cultivar, cultivated winter squash in the genus ''Cucurbita''. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many dif ...

(''

Cucurbita pepo ''Cucurbita pepo'' is a cultivated plant of the genus ''Cucurbita''. It yields varieties of winter squash and pumpkin, but the most widespread varieties belong to the subspecies ''Cucurbita pepo'' subsp. ''pepo'', called summer squash. It has b ...

'') first attested in the 16th century. They are one of the oldest varieties of pumpkin in existence and are known as an

heirloom plant An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit (Australia and New Zealand), or heirloom vegetable (especially in Ireland and the UK) is an old cultivar of a plant used for food that is grown and maintained by gardeners and farmers, particular ...

. One of the most popular

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

pumpkins, Connecticut field pumpkins are commonly used for autumn decorations and

jack-o'-lantern A jack-o'-lantern (or jack o'lantern) is a carved lantern, most commonly made from a pumpkin, or formerly a root vegetable such as a mangelwurzel, rutabaga or turnip. Jack-o'-lanterns are associated with the Halloween holiday. Its name comes ...

s; a strain of Connecticut field pumpkins have been described as "the original commercial jack-o'-lantern pumpkin". Due to the variety's appearance and growth process, it is considered to be well-suited for ornamental use. It also has culinary uses, particularly in canning, and was used for medicinal purposes by Native Americans prior to European contact.

Background

The Connecticut field pumpkin is of the species ''

'', and is the most widely-grown member of the ''

Cucurbita is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae (also known as ''cucurbits'' or ''cucurbi''), native to the Andes and Mesoamerica. Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh and seeds. They are variously know ...

'' genus of gourds. The ''Cucurbita pepo'' group includes other pumpkins,

winter squash Winter squash is an annual fruit representing several squash species within the genus '' Cucurbita''. Late-growing, less symmetrical, odd-shaped, rough or warty varieties, small to medium in size, but with long-keeping qualities and hard rinds, ...

, summer squash, acorns, and ornamental gourds. It is a

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

which is sensitive to

frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor that deposits onto a freezing surface. Frost forms when the air contains more water vapor than it can normally hold at a specific temperature. The process is simila ...

. The pumpkin plant has unisexual flowers and vines and large leaves. The Connecticut field pumpkin is similar to winter squash, which was grown by Native Americans in the

pre-Columbian era In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...

. The name "Connecticut field" references the area where the ancestral variety was found. The variety is colloquially known by various other names, such as Big Tom, Canner's Supreme, Eastern Field, Georgia Field, and Lake Shore. The Connecticut field pumpkin has been grown since before the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

History

Field pumpkins were seen as early as the middle of the

16th century The 16th century began with the Julian calendar, Julian year 1501 (represented by the Roman numerals MDI) and ended with either the Julian or the Gregorian calendar, Gregorian year 1600 (MDC), depending on the reckoning used (the Gregorian calend ...

by the French explorer

Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier (; 31 December 14911 September 1557) was a French maritime explorer from Brittany. Jacques Cartier was the first Europeans, European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, wh ...

. Thomas Dunlap produced a catalog in 1752 that advertised Connecticut field pumpkin seeds: a quart was offered for . In 1863 four distinct cultivars of this type of pumpkin were identified: Canada, Common Yellow, Connecticut field, and Long Yellow. The field pumpkin is typically traced back to the

European colonization of the Americas During the Age of Discovery, a large scale colonization of the Americas, involving a number of European countries, took place primarily between the late 15th century and the early 19th century. The Norse explored and colonized areas of Europe a ...

. Because of its long use, it is considered to be an

Native Americans in the United States Native Americans (also called American Indians, First Americans, or Indigenous Americans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of the United States, particularly of the Contiguous United States, lower 48 states and A ...

used the pumpkins in food and the making of

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

. They dried and stored pumpkins for use in the winter and they used them to make bread and other foods. The

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

tribe ate the seeds to cure internal parasites and other native American tribes used pumpkin as a

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics ...

. American colonists soon learned the significance and they learned how to best grow it from the Native Americans.

Characteristics

The pumpkins have many shapes and sizes but they are commonly round. The Connecticut field pumpkin is in size and it is round, and orange, with smooth, slightly ribbed skin. The Howden pumpkin was developed by John Howden and it is a strain selected from Connecticut field pumpkins for improved production and uniformity of fruits: it is described as "the original commercial jack-o'-lantern pumpkin".

Cultivation and harvest

The Native Americans taught the colonists that they would get higher yields per acre if they planted potatoes or corn in the same field as the pumpkins. In 1906, the South Dakota State Horticultural Society recommended that six seeds be planted within hills of dirt approximately apart. After the plants grew into seedlings, the horticultural society recommended that the seedlings be thinned to just two plants per hill. The 1917 ''Cyclopedia of American Agriculture'' recommended that the variety be planted in sandy loam soil without other crops. They advised farmers to use manure to fertilize and said that of seeds were needed to plant . A good crop was considered to be two pumpkins per vine. One dangerous pest that can destroy the crop is the

striped cucumber beetle ''Acalymma vittatum'', the striped cucumber beetle, is a beetle of the family Chrysomelidae and a serious pest of Cucurbita, cucurbit crops in both larval and adult stages. The striped cucumber beetle has a distinctive appearance, displaying a ye ...

. The recommended time to harvest them is when there is no green visible on the pumpkin. Farmers are taught to leave a 3 4 inch stem on the pumpkin and to cut them with shears so that they do not break the stem. The Connecticut field pumpkin has a 110-day growing period from planting to harvest.

Uses

The Connecticut field pumpkin is considered to be the standard general-purpose Halloween pumpkin. It is the variety most often selected for carving

s, and is widely considered to be the most popular Halloween pumpkin. Unlike many pumpkin varieties, the Connecticut field pumpkin grows upright. This gives them flat rather than rounded bottoms, which some commentators believe improves their usability for carving and displaying jack-o'-lanterns. The Connecticut field pumpkin also has culinary uses; it is one of the most popular pumpkin varieties for canning, alongside the Dickinson, Kentucky Field, and Golden Delicious pumpkins. The variety can be eaten fresh or canned, but is considered less palatable than culinary pumpkin varieties. The inside of the pumpkin is stringy and thick which makes it less desirable for eating. The variety is also used by ranchers as feed for

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

. The pulp is rich in carotenoids and the seeds are a source of fatty acid. The flowers and the pulp are both edible. Because of its many uses, the variety is a common choice for home gardeners.

Economic importance

In the United States, all fifty states produce pumpkins. In 2020 and 2021,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

led the nation in pumpkin production with devoted to pumpkin growing. In 2021 alone, Illinois produced 652 million pounds of pumpkins. States with 4,500 to devoted to pumpkin growing include: in the west, California; midwestern states Indiana and Michigan; and southern states Texas and Virginia. Prices range from US$35 to US$250 per 1000 pounds. The growers mainly produce ornamental or jack-o'-lantern pumpkins. In addition to North America, pumpkins are grown in Africa, Europe, Asia and South America. Annual pumpkin production likely surpasses 20 million tonnes.

References

{{Halloween Squashes and pumpkins Food plant cultivars Halloween in the United States