Sprawling annual vine with large edible fruit. Needs a long warm growing season.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 3–10 | −40 °C to 4.4 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| RHS hardiness rating | H1c | 5 °C to 10 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 3–9 | −34 °C and warmer | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–6 | −15 °C to 15 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
As a tender annual, Pumpkin doesn't overwinter — the zone range shows where the growing season supports it. See the RHS rating for its actual cold tolerance.
About Pumpkin
What gets called pumpkin, squash, marrow or gourd cuts across several different Cucurbita species rather than following any botanical line, which is why the naming differs so much between countries. All are American in origin and were among the earliest domesticated plants in the Americas. The plants carry separate male and female flowers, and the first flush is usually male, which explains the common worry about a plant flowering heavily but setting nothing. Female flowers are recognisable by the tiny immature fruit already sitting behind the petals.
Growing notes
- Frost-tender; sow after last frost
- Needs rich soil and steady moisture for big fruit
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Pumpkin against your zones