Cushaw Pumpkin, Winter Squash 'Green Striped Cushaw'
Cucurbita mixta
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae (koo-ker-bih-TAY-see-ee) (Info) |
| Genus: | Cucurbita (koo-KER-bih-ta) (Info) |
| Species: | mixta (MIKS-tuh) (Info) |
| Cultivar: | Green Striped Cushaw |
Type:
Cushaw (winter)
Height:
12-18 in. (30-45 cm)
Spacing:
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)
Days to Maturity:
81 to 90 days
91 to 100 days
Mature Skin Color:
Light Green
Medium Green
Striped
Size:
12 to 20 pounds (5 to 9 kg)
Habit:
Vining
Disease Resistance:
Powdery Mildew (PM)
Seed Type:
Open Pollinated
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting:
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds
Foliage Color:
Medium Green
Mottled/Spotted
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Water Requirements:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Where to Grow:
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Rosston, Arkansas
Tallahassee, Florida
Augusta, Georgia
Brodhead, Kentucky
Hi Hat, Kentucky
Mc Dowell, Kentucky
Prestonsburg, Kentucky
Richmond, Kentucky
Taylorsville, Kentucky
Youngsville, Louisiana
Woodstock, Maryland
Blue Mountain, Mississippi
Saint Louis, Missouri
Turner, Oregon
Roan Mountain, Tennessee
Bridge City, Texas
Shepherd, Texas
Paeonian Springs, Virginia
Radford, Virginia
Troy, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
show allGardeners' Notes:
| Rating | Content |
|---|---|
| Positive | On Jun 11, 2015, Angelina32310 from Tallahassee, FL wrote: The Green Striped Cushaw resists the Squash Vine Borer, I can see where the borers have drilled into the vine but the vine doesn't die like most other squash, it just keeps on growing and putting on squash of varied sizes. It doesn't run as far or fast as Rumbo squash but they will go 15' or more and put on 8 to 10 squash per vine. |
| Positive | On Sep 7, 2012, HamW from Hayes, VA wrote: A friend gave me two green striped cushaw squash. They are similar to what my Grandmother raised in her garden and called "Japanese Sweet Potatoes" (although they're definitely NOT a sweet potato!). I had a handed-down recipe for a "Japanese Sweet Potato Pudding" which I remember as absolutely delicious. It's kinda like a sweet potato pie without the crust although it has crushed pineapple, coconut and, I added, raisins. FANTASTIC!! The squash my Grandmother raised was dark green with orange markings, about a 8" dia bulb portion and a long, slightly curved, 4" dia neck, giving it an overall length of about 20" - 24". In addition to making the pudding, she sliced the neck into 1/2" thick 'rounds', floured and fried them. These fried slices were always served with sprinkled sugar. WOW!! I s... read more |
| Positive | On Aug 21, 2012, digger808 from Winchester, VA wrote: This year, a hot and wet one, was my first time growing cushaws. I don't have a benchmark other than the tan cheese pumpkins and ice cream canteloupes that didn't produce, but I would say these have been extremely productive. As far as the taste, although they are supposed to be aged first, we snuck one anyway and quickly made a pie with it using a modified recipe we found online - it was beyond superb - something like a cross between pumpkin and creme brulee I think. For other reference points, I've had no problems with the SVBs that shred my regular zucchinni. All the other squash bugs are present too, but don't appear to have impacted the cushaws. Powdery mildew occured but was controlled with Serenade. The only fertilizer added this year was composted chicken manure. As far as s... read more |
| Positive | On Mar 27, 2010, ddot from Bridge City, TX wrote: My grandfather grew this cushaw in southeast Texas, along the Texas , La. gulf coast back in the 1960's. He would make pies from it. They were delicious. I now have seeds from it, which I will grow starting this month. Will let ya'll know how they come out. |
| Positive | On Dec 3, 2008, plschang from Roan Mountain, TN wrote: The Cushaw Pumpkin makes the best pumpkin pie I have ever |
| Positive | On Aug 15, 2004, katladie from French Settlement, LA wrote: We had one come up "volunteer" . I can't remember how many fruits it yielded, but it was a lot. What I can remember is having to walk through the vine without walking on it. It came up about half way across the side yard on the way to one of Daddy's dog pens. It does take up lots of space. |
| Positive | On Dec 30, 2003, Farmerdill from Augusta, GA (Zone 8a) wrote: This is the most popular Cushaw. As a kid we used to grow them in the cornfields. It is a quite sturdy plant and a prolific yielder. In the New River valley I once picked 12 fruits averaging 15 lbs from a single plant. The fruit resembles a giant crookneck squash, light green with darker green stripes. Excellent for pies and keeps remarkably well for a thin skinned pumpkin. |
