Zumpkin Zucchini Summer Squash Open-pollinated (20 seeds)

This zucchini actually has 1/4 pumpkin parentage, which brings in a richer flavor and color, all while preserving the long green fruit shape, bush growth habit, and abundant harvests zucchini is known for!The innovation of ‘Zumpkin’ is primarily a new flavor profile. When compared to regular zucchini, ‘Zumpkin’ has distinctly richer flavor and a slightly golden color due to it’s parentage. Since zucchinis tend to be bland, I’ve tried many different cross-pollinations to achieve better flavor, and this is the most promising result I’ve found to date!’Zumpkin’ began with crossing the zucchini ‘Payroll F1’ to the old heirloom pumpkin ‘Connecticut Field’ back in 2015. Of course, the resulting plants had long vines so I crossed a plant back to the zucchini parent once more in a technique called backcrossing. This means that ‘Zumpkin’ has 1/4 pumpkin genetics. I’ve spent the last 9 years selecting great plants from these original crosses until I had a stable variety to offer!Plants are fully bush but tend to have a crowded appearance very similar to the common heirloom ‘Black Beauty’. Fruits should be picked at 6-8 inches in length. In this variety, the fruits lose their shininess very quickly, so that is not a reliable harvest indicator. I recommend sautéing or grilling these to fully appreciate their sweet, mellow flavor. Mature fruit are orange inside and could potentially be used like pumpkin to make pies.49 days from seed to harvest.