Family: Cucurbitaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 1010 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Cucurbita
Vegetable: True
Observations: a cultigen from Mexico
Description
Bitter bottle gourd, known scientifically as Cucurbita pepo, is an intriguing plant species belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. This species holds a significant place in horticultural history, first documented in the seminal work “Species Plantarum” by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Thought to have originated as a cultigen from Mexico, the bitter bottle gourd has a fascinating cultural and agricultural lineage.
Cultivated since ancient times, this plant is renowned for its distinctive, gourd-shaped fruit, which possesses a notably bitter taste. Although it may not be as commonly used in culinary contexts due to its bitterness, the plant is nonetheless celebrated in various cultures for its unique shape and historical significance. Farmers and gardeners value it for both ornamental and practical purposes, adding an aesthetically pleasing diversity to gardens and landscapes.
As part of the Cucurbitaceae family, the bitter bottle gourd shares a lineage with a variety of other squash and gourd species. This botanical family is globally renowned for its wide array of edible and ornamental plants, which have been integral to human agriculture for centuries. The bitter bottle gourd stands out within this family for its peculiar taste and historical roots, primarily traced back to the rich agricultural traditions of Mexico.
In modern times, the bitter bottle gourd continues to be a subject of interest among botanists, horticulturists, and plant enthusiasts. Its unique bitterness, historical significance, and ornamental value make it a staple in botanical discussions and gardens dedicated to preserving diverse plant species. By understanding and appreciating plants like the bitter bottle gourd, we can gain deeper insights into agricultural history and biodiversity.
Common Names
Eng: bitter bottle gourd, bush squash, field pumpkin, marrow, pumpkin, squash, vegetable marrow, cocozelle, jack-o-lantern pumpkin, zucchini, american pumpkin, courgette, ornamental gourd
Fra: courge, potiron, citrouille, courge pepon, courge pépon
Deu: garten-kürbis, zucchini, gartenkürbis, gemüse-kürbis, gewöhnlicher kürbis
Dan: græskar, mandel-græskar
Ita: zucchino
Por: aboboreira–comum, aboboreira-porqueira, abóbora-cabotiá, mogango
Ell: kolokythia
Hun: közönséges tök
Swe: pumpa, prydnadspumpa, squash, zucchini
Ces: tykev obecná
Nld: sierpompoen
Spa: calabaza, calabaza de castilla
Cym: maro, maros, pwmpen
En: Bitter bottle gourd, Marrow, Pumpkin, Bush squash, Squash, Field pumpkin, Cocozelle, Jack-o-lantern pumpkin, Vegetable marrow, Zucchini, American pumpkin, Courgette, Ornamental gourd, Summer Squash, Delicata squash, Pumpkinseeds, Squash and gourd varieties, Styrian Pumpkin, Vegetable Gourd, Autumn pumpkin, Pattypan squash, Spaghetti squash, Yellow crookneck squash, Zucchini squash
Ca: Carbassera, Carbassonera
Zh: Xi hu lu
Cs: Tykev obecná
Da: Græskar, Mandel-græskar
Nl: Sierpompoen, Sier-Pompoen
Fr: Courge pepon, Citrouille, Courge, Potiron, Courge pépon, Courge nue, Giraumon, Citrouille iroquoise, Courgette, Pâtisson, Pépon
De: Gemüse-Kürbis, Garten-Kürbis, Zucchini, Gartenkürbis, Gewöhnlicher Kürbis, Kürbis, Patisson, Zucchini, Ölkürbis, Garten-Kürbis
El: Kolokythia
Hu: Közönséges tök
It: Zucchino, Zucchette, Zucchini
Pt: Aboboreira–comum, Aboboreira-porqueira, Abóbora-cabotiá, Mogango, Abóbora
Sk: Tekvica obyčajná
Es: Calabaza, Calabaza de Castilla, Calabacín, Calabaza de san Juan
Sv: Pumpa, Prydnadspumpa, Squash, Zucchini
Ur: Ghia kaddu
Cy: Maro, Maros, Pwmpen
Synonyms
- Cucurbita pepo var. medullosa (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. bicolor (Harz)
- Cucurbita pepo var. barbarica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita ceratoceras (Haberle ex Mart.)
- Citrullus variegatus (Schrad. ex M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. bombinina (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. schneebergeri (Alef.)
- Cucurbita elongata (Bean ex Schrad.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. turonensis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. valesiaca (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pomiformis var. flava (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita hybrida (Bertol. ex Naudin)
- Cucurbita pepo var. marginalis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. mitriformis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita variegata (Steud.)
- Cucumis pepo ((L.) Dumort.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. pastalis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. rhenana (Alef.)
- Cucurbita citrullus var. flava (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. australis (Tod.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. dinomela (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo subvar. alba (Harz)
- Pepo potiron (Sageret)
- Cucurbita pepo var. diplacra (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. chrysobela (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo f. flava (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. akoda (Makino)
- Cucurbita pepo var. rotunda (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita marsupiiformis (Haberle ex M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pyxidaris var. flava-major (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. xanthapion (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. brayana (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. flogra (Teppner)
- Pepo oblongus (Poit.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. vulgaris (Harz)
- Cucurbita pepo var. massiliensis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. chrysothela (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. oriolina (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pomiformis var. alba (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. courgero ((Ser.) Tod.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. coronalis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. diachrysa (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. leucotyrus (Alef.)
- Cucurbita citrullus var. grisea (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo subvar. nigra (Harz)
- Cucurbita pepo var. scutiformis (Harz)
- Cucurbita pepo var. aurantia ((Willd.) Tod.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. thelomela (Alef.)
- Pepo aurantius ((Willd.) Peterm.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. oblonga (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo subvar. viridis ((Nois.) Harz)
- Cucurbita pepo var. pyxidaris (Tod.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. diachroa (Alef.)
- Cucurbita mammosa (J.F.Gmel.)
- Cucurbita courgero (Ser.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. clavata (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. metzgeriana (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. numidica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. phyllapion (Alef.)
- Cucurbita succedo (Arn.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. subrotunda (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. persica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita tuberculosa (Schrad.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. radiata (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. condensa (L.H.Bailey)
- Cucurbita pepo var. georgica (Teppner)
- Cucurbita pepo var. thelechusa (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. italica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita fastuosa (Salisb.)
- Cucumis zapallo (Steud.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. serinina (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pyxidaris var. flava-minor (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. brasilica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita urnigera (Schrad.)
- Cucurbita citrullus var. viridis (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. icterina (Alef.)
- Cucurbita citrullus var. variegata (M.Roem.)
- Pepo citrullus (Sageret)
- Cucurbita pepo var. lutea (Nois.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. praecox (Harz)
- Pepo vulgaris (Moench)
- Cucurbita pepo var. thelomedica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita aurantia (Willd.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. draconina (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. sphaeroleuca (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo f. viridis ((Nois.) M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. fibropulposa (Makino)
- Cucurbita pepo var. dimidiata (Alef.)
- Cucurbita mammeata (Molina)
- Cucurbita pepo var. luteoalba (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. taenapion (Alef.)
- Cucurbita succado (Nägeli ex Naudin)
- Cucurbita pyxidaris var. bicolor (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pomiformis (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. genevensis (Alef.)
- Pepo clypeiformis (Poit.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. toonas (Makino)
- Cucurbita pepo var. torticollis (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo subsp. gumala (Teppner)
- Cucurbita pyxidaris (DC.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. elongata (Harz)
- Cucurbita pepo var. larnacana (Alef.)
- Cucurbita clodiensis (Naccari)
- Cucurbita pepo var. cyphechusa (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. patagonica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pyxidaris var. persica (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita lignosa (Mill.)
- Cucurbita esculenta (Gray)
- Cucurbita pepo var. hispanica (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. phaeotaenia (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. sturnina (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. ovalis (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. kintogwa (Makino)
- Cucurbita venosa (Descourt.)
- Cucurbita citrullus var. alba (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. hassiaca (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. viridis (Nois.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. dochnahlii (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. storkiana (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. polkii (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo f. alba (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. taeniata (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pepo var. pyrula (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pyxidaris var. flavostriata (M.Roem.)
- Cucurbita polymorpha (Duchesne)
- Cucurbita pepo var. americana (Zhit.)
- Cucurbita oblonga (Link)
- Cucurbita pepo var. leucomela (Alef.)
- Cucurbita pyridaris (Duchesne ex Poir.)
Distribution
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Albania (introduced)
- Argentina Northeast (introduced)
- Argentina Northwest (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Assam (introduced)
- Azores (introduced)
- Bahamas (introduced)
- Bangladesh (introduced)
- Belgium (introduced)
- Benin (introduced)
- Bolivia (introduced)
- Brazil South (introduced)
- Burkina (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Cameroon (introduced)
- Cape Verde (introduced)
- Caroline Is. (introduced)
- Cayman Is. (introduced)
- China South-Central (introduced)
- China Southeast (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Cook Is. (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Cuba (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- Denmark (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- Finland (introduced)
- France (introduced)
- Gambia (introduced)
- Gilbert Is. (introduced)
- Greece (introduced)
- Guatemala (introduced)
- Haiti (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- India (introduced)
- Italy (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kazakhstan (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Marshall Is. (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Nauru (introduced)
- Nevada (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Mexico (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- New Zealand North (introduced)
- New Zealand South (introduced)
- Nigeria (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Norway (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oman (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Puerto Rico (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Sierra Leone (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- St.Helena (introduced)
- Sweden (introduced)
- Tadzhikistan (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Tokelau-Manihiki (introduced)
- Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
- Turkey (introduced)
- Turkmenistan (introduced)
- Tuvalu (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Uzbekistan (introduced)
- Venezuela (introduced)
- Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Vietnam (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Wake I. (introduced)
- West Himalaya (introduced)
- Zaïre (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flower
Taken Feb 3, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2018 by Nathalie Duchoquet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 29, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 3, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Jul 18, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 17, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 8, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 8, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Aug 19, 2019 by Jean-francois Pasquini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 12, 2017 by Laurie David (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 21, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 8, 2019 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 4, 2017 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jul 30, 2020 by Filip Arndt (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 19, 2019 by Jean-francois Pasquini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 6, 2022 by Jim Knopf (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 29, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken May 3, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 26, 2020 by Alvarado Kimberly (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 19, 2021 by Juli (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 4, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Sep 26, 2020 by cécilia slepmet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 26, 2017 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 2, 2021 by Věra Lancelot (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 19, 2021 by High Treeson (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 16, 2021 by Sabin Poenariu (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:292416-1)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2874508)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cucurbita pepo L.)
Specifications
Growth
