The Diversity of Cucurbitaceae
By Ross Dees
Melons, cucumbers, gourds, squashes, zucchini, pumpkins, and luffas all belong to the diverse and useful plant family, Cucurbitaceae.
Cucurbits produce fruit in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some Cucurbita maxima can grow fruits over 2,000 pounds, while cucamelon fruits (Melothria scabra) grow to be about an inch long.
Cucurbit fruits come in many flavors as well. The fruit can range from sweet (such as butternut squash or kabocha), to mild (like cucumbers and zucchini), to bitter (like the bitter melon), to sour (like the previously mentioned cucamelon). And while some cucurbits produce fantastic edible fruit, not all cucurbits’ fruits are edible. A few examples are gourds and luffas. Though inedible, these fruits have a variety of uses.
While members of the cucurbit family can be wildly different, a few traits among them are relatively consistent:
- Cucurbits need warm soil for germination. If starting indoors and transplanting outside, ensure all threat of frost has passed, as cucurbits are frost-sensitive. (1)
- Cucurbits are mostly monoecious (with a few exceptions); this means that a single plant has both male and female flowers. In cucurbits, poor pollination can result in stunted fruit growth. According to Missouri Botanical Garden, a single female cucurbit flower needs to be visited by a pollinator 15 times to ensure proper fertilization. (2)
- Squash bugs and squash vine borers are common pests for many cucurbits. It is recommended to choose resistant varieties, practice crop rotation, and consider planting nasturtium and/or tansy as companion plants to help control damage caused by these pests. (3)
The Encyclopædia Britannica claims there are over 950 species of cucurbits over 98 genera (4). With so much diversity, there is bound to be a cucurbit that is a perfect fit for your garden.
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Ross Dees is an Assistant Horticulturist at Philbrook Museum of Art.
Sources:
(1) https://growappalachia.berea.edu/2016/10/21/the-cucurbit-craze/
(3) https://www.almanac.com/pest/squash-bugs
(4) https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-plants-in-the-family-Cucurbitaceae-2038063
