Squashes. Cucurbita maxima (Gallery 3)

Potiron Vert Olive
The dark olive to greenish black fruits look like huge ripe olives. They weigh 3 to 5 kg and are 20 to 25 cm long. The flesh is yellow, firm, fibrous and floury. They are very good keepers (up to 7 months) and their quality improves in the keeping. From direct sowing: 120 days.
This 19 th century French heirloom is mentioned in France, in 1885, in the book “Les Plantes Potagères” of Vilmorin-Andrieux. It is known in USA as "Olive Squash" and was introduced commercially by Burpee in 1884.

Chesnut Bush
The fairly compact vines yield 2-4 fruits with a diameter of 10-18 cm. The flesh is dark orange, non-fibrous and of excellent quality. The sugar content increases during the weeks following the harvest. The skin is slate grey. This variety is a good keeper, up to a few months. From direct sowing: 105 days.
A heirloom variety originally from the USA.

Pink Banana Jumbo
The nearly cylindrical fruit, in the shape of a banana, can weigh up to 30 kg, and is ripe when the thin, brittle, smooth skin turns a pink-orange. This smooth, velvety skin makes it attractive as well as tasty! The yellow-orange flesh is thick, firm, dry, sweet, and not stringy. The fruits can reach 1m20 but are best picked when less than 90 cm long. This variety is a good keeper (up to 6 months) and is perfect for pies, baking and canning. It is ideal for homemade baby food. Each plant can produce several fruits. From direct sowing: 100-115 days.
This heirloom was introduced in 1893 in the USA. It was also known as “Mexican Banana” and “Plymouth Rock” The original variety had a skin of grey-blue color striped with orange and turning pink upon maturity. Around 1900, the seed company Aggeler and Musser of Los Angeles developed three varieties : a yellow-orange one, a blue-grey one and a pink one.

Flat White Boer
The vines produce 2 to 4 fruits with a pure white skin and with a sweet and excellent orange flesh. These fruits are 20 to 50 cm in diameter and weigh from 4 to 10 kg. This vigorous variety is a good keeper.
Originally from South Africa. It was introduced in the Vavilov Institute seed bank in 1940.

Turk's Turban
It is a very popular variety for decoration because of its unique and colorful fruit. It looks like a “Buttercup” but has a cream-colored “turban” that is colorfully striped with green, yellow, orange, and red. The sweet, floury flesh is excellent in soup. Each plant bears 4 to 6 fruits which weigh 1 to 5 kg. It is an excellent keeper which may keep for more than one year when not bruised. From direct sowing: 80-100 days.
It could have been introduced in USA around 1820 as American Turban. Heirloom mentioned in France, in 1885, in the book “Les Plantes Potagères” of Vilmorin-Andrieux. Also known as "Giraumon Turban". It was mentionned in "Bon Jardinier" in 1818. It could have been developed by Vilmorin. In France, before 1818, different varieties of Turbans were known which were then discarded.

Golden Delicious
It is a smooth skinned variety of Golden Hubbard. The fruits are heart shaped and weigh 3 to 8 kg. Their rind is brilliant red-orange. The flesh is very smooth, fine textured and orange. The flavor is delicious and the vitamin C content is very high. Each vine can produce 2 to 4 fruits.
It is a good keeper (up to 8 months). This variety is frequently used for baby food. 100 days.
This heirloom was introduced by Gill Bros. Seed Co. of Portland, Oregon, in USA in 1926.