Crookneck squash

Crookneck squash, also known as yellow squash, is a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo,^[3] the species that also includes some pumpkins and most other summer squashes. The plants are bushy^[3] and do not spread like the plants of winter squash and pumpkin.^[4] Most often used as a summer squash, it is characterized by its yellow skin (which may be smooth or bumpy)^[4] and sweet yellow flesh, as well as its distinctive curved stem-end or "crooked neck".^[5] It should not be confused with crookneck cultivars of Cucurbita moschata, such as the winter squash 'Golden Cushaw',^[6] or the vining summer squash 'Tromboncino'.^[3] Its name distinguishes it from another similar-looking variety of C. pepo, the straightneck squash, which is also usually yellow.^[7][8][9] There is one similar non-edible C. pepo variety: C. pepo var. ovifera.^[10]

Cucurbita pepo 'Yellow crookneck'
Crookneck squash along with other types of squash
Species	Cucurbita pepo
Cultivar	Yellow crookneck
Origin	Eastern North America

Crookneck squash

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	19 kcal (79 kJ)
Carbohydrates	3.9 g
Dietary fiber	1.0 g
Fat	0.3 g
Protein	1.0 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Riboflavin (B2) 3% 0.04 mg Vitamin C 21% 19 mg Minerals Quantity %DV† Potassium 7% 222 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	94 g
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies[2]

Yellow crookneck squash are generally harvested immature, when they are less than two inches in diameter,^[4][5] since the skin toughens and the quality degrades as the squash reaches full maturity.^[11]