Vegetable History

Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitacae)

Turkish: kabak; French: courgette; Italian: zucchini; Spanish: calabacin; Greek: kolokothaki; Arabic: kusa

Plant characteristics

The edible part is the young and mature fruit. Zucchini is one kind of summer squash, a squash with a soft skin. Zucchini are popular in all Mediterranean cuisines.

Plant origin

There is a group of wild species of small, bitter Cucurbita in Mexico and Guatemala that are closely related to cultivated species, and it is thought that this area is one of the centers of origin. The seeds of these species are not bitter, though, and they are tasty and nutritious. Over time it is likely that these species were chosen by primitive farmers and, via selection, the plants evolved into the plants we know today. Although it is not conclusive, there is evidence that the five cultivated species are derived from these small, bitter gourds.

Cucurbita pepo is native to North America from 10000 B.C. in Flordia, 8000 B.C. in Mexico and 5000 B.C. in Illinois. Cucurbita maxima is native to coastal Peru, where there is evidence of domestication from 2500 B.C., and in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Uruguay, while C. moschata appears to have been used in Tehuacan, south of Mexico City, around 3400 or 5000 B.C. and in Peru about the same time. Cucurbita mixta's origins appear to be in the southwestern United States and north-eastern Mexico, but quite recently, the earliest evidence being from only A.D. 1200.

Plant history

Wild species of squash are usually small and very bitter, while cultivated squashes are large and flavorful.

This must be a result of a long period of cultivation. It is likely that squash were first used as musical instruments (rattles) and bowls, and only later were the plants cultivated as food. The Cucurbita are associated with humankind in the Americas for at least 10,000 years. The five cultivated species were cultivated by Native Americans in the pre-Columbian era and were staples in their diet. Cucurbita did not reach the Mediterranean until after Columbus's discovery of America. The word squash derives from a Native American Indian language, while the word pumpkin comes from the Greek word pepon, meaning "ripened". The so-called Old World squashes were various kinds of cucumbers, melons, and gourds and maybe the loofah. The members of the Cucurbitaceae are a much studied vegetable.

The introduction of both winter and summer squashes began very early. By 1550, European herbalists were familiar with both. Many cultivars are depicted in Flemish and Dutch paintings of the late 16th century. From Europe, squash spread to North Africa and the Near East.