pumpkin – Green Garden Tribe

Been wondering what to plant in your garden? Plant a Green Pumpkin! Why? Green Pumpkins contain varieties of nutrients that could improve your heart health and it has other beneficial benefits. The uses are culinary and medicinal. Varieties: Pumpkins: Marina Di Chioggia, Trimble, Shishigatani, Thai Kang Kob, Speckled Hound, Pepitas, American Tondo, Shokichi Green Mini Kabocha, Kabocha, Green Striped Cushaw, Tours, Shokichi Green Mini Kabocha, Buen Gusto De Horno, Crown Prince, Sugar Cup, Rembrandt; Squashes: Winter Sweet, Honey Bear, Bonbon, Yuxi Jiang Bing Gua. What is a Green Pumpkin? Green Pumpkins are unique, versatile, and have a distinctive appearance. These delightful, little fruits deserve a place in any home or garden. Below we’ll give you more information about green pumpkins, and you’ll learn more about the uses and the different varieties of green pumpkins. Most of us hear the word pumpkin and automatically think about the bright orange pumpkins. However, there are several other colors of pumpkins, including the Green ones! Green Pumpkin In the ancient past, Green Pumpkins were an important source of food, medicine, and skin care for many cultures. Today, Green Pumpkins have become wildly popular throughout many parts of the world. Yet, still used for a variety of purposes - whether it be as a powerful medicinal plant, culinary ingredient, or ornamental treasure. Green pumpkin is edible but the flavor may lack the sweetness there are two categories of green pumpkins: 1. The traditional orange pumpkin that has not yet matured - All pumpkins start their lives as small green globes and as they grow, they become larger until they reach maturity. All through this cycle, the pumpkin fruit remains green, only when the pumpkin harvest is imminent or reaches its maturity do the green pumpkins turn orange. 2. The pumpkin that is naturally green even when it matures - There are varieties of pumpkins that are naturally green and few of these are pure green. Keep in mind that all pumpkins need warmth and sunlight to ripen. Also, they need a dry place to avoid mold or rot. When the pumpkins are completely green, you need to rotate them evenly. In order that every part gets exposed to sunshine, it could be evenly ripe. Uses of Green Pumpkin The Green Pumpkins belong to the family of Cucurbitaceae and Benincasa hispida. It is known and recognized for its medicinal properties. Green Pumpkins are also commonly known as Wax Gourd, Winter Melon, and Ash Gourd. It is not just the fruit that is useful, but its seeds as well. A Green Pumpkin seed oil is good for pregnancy, brain health, and skin. Below are the uses of Green Pumpkins: 1. Green Pumpkins could be used in soups and stews. Just spice it up. 2. Green Pumpkins help in treating Acid Reflux syndrome. The active components present in Green Pumpkins are Terpenes, Flavonoid C, glycosides, and sterols that have antioxidant effects that help in inhibiting gastric mucosal damage. 3. It has an Alkaline property, so it is used as a diuretic or bladder purifier. 4. It is also used as an Aphrodisiac which increases sexual potency. A good appetizer. 5. It has an important ingredient in various Ayurvedic medicines for treating bleeding disorders. Also, it helps in improving body weight and is ideal for diabetic people. 6. Green Pumpkin helps to treat mental disorders by stabilizing nerve cells. 7. A Green Pumpkin also acts as an Antidiarrheal agent and helps relieve constipation. 8. It is a rich source of Vitamin B and C. An excellent remedy to treat tapeworms. 9. Green Pumpkin and all pumpkins are used as an ingredient in Asian cuisine and some parts of the world. This Green pumpkin is edible but the flavor lacks sweetness. You can cook it. Just give it a little more time to ripen up through exposure to sunlight. Different Varieties of Green Pumpkin: Green Pumpkins range from dusky-green heirlooms to mottled or striped varieties. They are sought after as both ornamental pumpkins and often as gourmet cooking varieties. Here is the list of different varieties of Green Pumpkin: 1. Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin It is a medium to large size, dark green Italian heirloom pumpkin and is native to an Italian coastal village of Chioggia. Their fruits are available through fall and winter. This Green Pumpkin is round and known for its warty, wrinkly, and almost bubbly rind. It weighs an average of 10-12 pounds. Its sugar warts cause the bubbly rind to result from the build-up of extra sugar in the pumpkin’s coat and flesh. 2. Trimble Pumpkin It has a nickname that is commonly called Shamrock Pumpkin. It is a medium-sized slate-green pumpkin. Thus, with a unique three-lobed shape. This heirloom pumpkin weighs about 8 pounds when ripe. Makes a good pumpkin for cooking. 3. Shishigatani Pumpkin A medium-sized, dark green Japanese heirloom pumpkin. This green pumpkin has a unique hourglass shape with a ribbed, warty rind. This kind of green pumpkin is a gourmet culinary heirloom pumpkin. It is known for its fine-grained flesh and balanced earthy flavor. 4. Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin It is a small-medium, dark green to gray-green Thai heirloom pumpkin. This ribbed, warty fruit grows on pest-resistant plants. The mature and ripe Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin weighs 6-8 pounds and has excellent cooking characteristics. 5. Speckled Hound Pumpkin A small-medium size hybrid pumpkin. It has orange rinds covered in splashes and streaks of dark green. This eye-catching green pumpkin is quite a bit unique! The mature and ripe Speckled Hound Pumpkin weighs 3-6 pounds. Each varies in its orange/green pattern coloration. It makes a good pumpkin for cooking. 6. Pepitas Pumpkin This kind of Green Pumpkin is a medium-size round yellow pumpkin. With mottled green stripes down the sides. Pepitas Pumpkin is a hybrid variety known for its delicious pumpkin seeds and does not have tough hulls around it. The mature and ripe Pepitas pumpkin weighs 9-12 pounds. It is great for both ornamental purposes and for cooking. This green Pumpkin is resistant to powdery mildew. 7. American Tondo Pumpkin A medium-size round pumpkin with a yellow rind and mottled green stripes. The mature and ripe ones weigh about 8-12 pounds. It is excellent for cooking and the fruit is nicely ribbed and highly ornamental. 8. Shokichi Green Mini Kabocha Pumpkin It is a small Kabocha cultivar with a gray-green rind and light vertical streaks. This is a fine-textured cooking pumpkin that grows on productive plants. The mature and ripe Shokichi Green Mini Kabocha Pumpkin weighs just under a pound. Each pumpkin makes perfect single-serving size. 9. Winter Sweet Squash Butternut Squash A small, pale-green hybrid Kabocha pumpkin. It has a smooth rind, dense, and flavorful flesh. This distinctive squash is highly ornamental and tends to have its best flavor once it has been stored for several months. The mature and ripe Winter Sweet Squash weighs 4-5 pounds. 10. Honey Bear Squash It is around shiny, dark green acorn squash. With the appearance of a small green pumpkin. This delicious pumpkin-like squash weighs about a pound. Each grows a compact plant. This Honey Bear Squash was named an All-America Selections Winner in 2009 and received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2011. 11. Kabocha Pumpkin It is a small, dark green heirloom pumpkin variety from Japan. Also known as the Japanese Black Pumpkin. This pumpkin has a rough outer rind and a bright orange interior. Kabocha Green Pumpkin is sweet and fine-textured flesh. It is perfect for making curries, pumpkin bread, and other delicious fall recipes. Each of the pumpkins ranges in size from about 3-5 pounds. This delicious pumpkin received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2011. 12. Bonbon Squash A round, pumpkin-like buttercup squash with a dark green rind. With light gray stripes at the button at the base of the fruit. The mature and ripe Bonbon squash weighs 4-5 pounds. It is excellent for cooking fruits. This Bonbon Squash was named an All-America Selections winner in 2005. 13. Yuxi Jiang Bing Gua Squash It is a small-medium rounded, deeply ribbed squash. It has a bright green color when young and tender. This kind of green pumpkin is a versatile fruit. It could be enjoyed when tender or could be left to mature on the vine into yellow-rind winter squash. The mature and Ripe Yuxi Jiang Bing Gua Squash weighs in the range of 3-8 pounds. 14. Green Striped Cushaw Pumpkin It is a uniquely shaped, medium-sized pumpkin that has an elongated neck and mottled green stripes. The mature ripe fruit varies quite a bit in size from 7 to 25 pounds. This pumpkin is highly ornamental and great for cooking. 15. Tours Pumpkin It is a tall, oval-shaped, medium-large French heirloom with green and yellow stripes. The mature and ripe Tours pumpkin weighs 16-18 pounds. This ornamental pumpkin adds height to a display of different types of pumpkins. It could also be used for cooking. 16. Shokichi Green Mini Kabocha Pumpkin A small Kabocha cultivar with a gray-green rind and light vertical streaks. This is a fine-textured cooking pumpkin that grows on productive plants. The mature and ripe Shokichi Green Mini Kabocha Pumpkins weigh just under a pound. It makes perfect single-serving size. 17. Buen Gusto De Horno Pumpkin A medium-size, green heirloom pumpkin cultivated in Spain. This ancient pumpkin has a very wrinkled, thick rind and deep ribs. Every pumpkin weighs 10-15 pounds. This pumpkin is known for its great taste as a cooked pumpkin. 18. Crown Prince Pumpkin It is a small hybrid pumpkin with a smooth silver-blue rind. It has a turban-like button on the base. It stores much well and is highly rated for taste. The mature and ripe fruit weighs about 5 pounds. This kind of green pumpkin, the Crown Prince Pumpkin, received the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2011. 19. Sugar Cup Pumpkin A medium-size, richly-colored, green-blue pumpkin with an heirloom appearance. It has very thick stems and some fruits have turban-like buttons on the bottom. The mature and ripe fruit weighs about 8 pounds each. 20. Rembrandt Pumpkin It is a large hybrid ornamental pumpkin with a mottled rind. It shows off both a peachy-pink color and a green-blue shade. The Rembrandt Pumpkin grows to 15-20 pounds. It is stunning in fall displays and the fruit has a pointed tip. Final Thoughts on Green Pumpkin - Uses and Varieties Indeed, Green pumpkins are not necessarily unripe pumpkins, but some are naturally green even when ripe. It can either be a solid green or a blend of colors, depending on the type. Hopefully, the above guides will be of help to you. Happy Gardening! Read More: Plant Growth Stages of Pumpkins: In Six Easy Stages Pumpkin Vine Care – 5 Expert Tips!