Differences in Squash & Gourds

Squash

• Squash have thick, edible flesh and thin skins when they are young. The skin toughens as the squash matures, and some squash, such as winter squash and pumpkins, have hard rinds. All the edible kinds of squash are different species of the genus Cucurbita. Most of the familiar garden squash, including summer and winter squash and pumpkins, belong to one variable species, Cucurbita pepo, that originated in Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) originated in Mexico and Central America, as did Hubbard and turban squashes (Cucurbita maxima). Cushaw squash (Cucurbita argyrosperma, formerly C. mixta) comes from Mexico.

Gourds

• Most gourds have thin, bitter flesh and a hard rind that cures over time to a tough outer surface. Bottle gourds (Lagenaria siceraria) have origins in both South America and Africa, and it is thought that the waterproof squash rode ocean currents between the continents to become established long ago in both areas. They have white flowers as opposed to squash and other gourds, which have yellow flowers. Smaller ornamental gourds (Cucurbita pepo var. ovifera) belong to the same species as summer and winter squash. The sponge gourd or luffa (Luffa spp.) has a fibrous interior used as a washcloth after the fruit dries. It comes from India.

Skin Hardness

• Ancestral squash varieties were probably dual-purpose, eaten as fresh food when the squash were young and stored for winter use as hard-skinned mature fruit. Modern summer squash such as yellow crookneck, zucchini and scallop are bred for tender-skinned young squash. The various kinds of winter squashes have harder skins and can keep for months under proper storage. Ornamental gourds have fairly hard skins, and although they may lose their bright colors, dried gourds last for years. The hardest skins of all belong to the bottle gourds, also called hardshell gourds, which can last for centuries.

Uses

• Squashes are primarily used as food, eaten fresh, dried, canned and frozen. Most are used as vegetables, although larger squash such as pumpkins and winter squashes have sweet flesh used in desserts. Ornamental gourds are primarily decorative, but have craft usages as well. Bottle gourds served as prehistoric vessels, containers, and eating and drinking utensils both before and after the invention of pottery, and they are still used in this way. Various cultures use them as stringed or percussion musical instruments such as drums or rattles. These gourds can also be carved and painted for ceremonial or art objects. Dried luffas are used in bathing, cleaning and filtering.