PlantFiles: Winter Squash
Cucurbita moschata 'Black Futsu'

I'm growing it for the first time this year and it's going great guns. One note though - there's no reason it shouldn't come true from seed if you keep it from hybridizing with other moschatas. This is true for any heirloom squash. You need to tape a male and femal flower from the same variety the night before they open, then pollinate the female in the morning and retape them. The seed you get will then be pure.

This is a very pretty squash to watch mature. If I remember correctly, we planted it in late May and took the first squash somewhere in September. The taste to me was more chestnut than hazelnut, but suffice it say it has a "nutty" taste. We prepared it by cutting it in half and steaming it cut side down.

This is my first year for this squash. It's doing very well in my zone 5 garden. Nice full plant with medium length vines and lots of fruit is setting.

Here's the catalog description:

Black Futsu
(Cucurbita moschata) Rare, black Japanese squash, the fruit is flattened, round and has heavy ribbing. Very unique and beautiful. The black fruit will turn a rich chestnut color in storage. Flesh is golden color and has the rich taste of hazelnuts. Fruits are 3-8 lbs. each and vines give huge yields. Japanese dark skinned, flattened. Popular with European market growers. Good insect resistance makes this a winner here!