Cucurbitaceae FAMILY
Cucurbita maxima
Cucurbita maxima
Edibility
5/5
Medicinal
3/5
Safety & Hazards
The sprouting seed produces a toxic substance in its embryo[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. ].
Botanical Description
Cucurbita maxima is a vigorous annual, climbing plant producing stems up to 5 metres long that tend to scramble along the ground, but can grow into the surrounding vegetation and support themselves by means of tendrils. The plant is widely cultivated from the warm temperate zone to the tropics, mainly for its edible fruit but also for its leaves and seed plus its various medicinal uses.
Habitat & Origin
Origintemperate; tropical
Native RangeThe species is not known in the wild, it was derived in cultivation from Cucurbita andreana Naudin (now Cucurbita maxima subsp andreana Filov)
HabitatNot known in the wild.