Squash (plant)

Squashes are a kind of vegetable. They are originally from the Americas. Gourds are in the same family as squashes. Pumpkins and zucchini (courgette) are types of squashes. Although squash is a fruit according to its botanical classification, it is generally considered a vegetable in food preparation. A squash can grow up to fifteen feet tall.

Squash
Yellow squash
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Genus:	Cucurbita

Word origin

The English word "squash" comes from askutasquash (which means "a green thing eaten raw"). This is a word from the Narragansett language, which was documented by Roger Williams in his 1643 publication A Key Into the Language of America. There are similar words for squash in related languages of the Algonquian family such as Massachusett.

Squash and art

The squash has been an important crop in the Andes mountains since the pre-Columbian Era. The Moche culture from Northern Peru made ceramics from earth, water, and fire. This pottery was used to represent important themes. Squash are a popular shape in Moche ceramics.^[1]

Images

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  Squashes grow hanging from a network of stalks
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  Longitudinal section of female flower of squash (courgette), showing ovary, ovules, pistil, and petals
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  Various squashes such as Turban, Sweet Dumpling, Carnival, Gold Acorn, Delicata, Buttercup and Golden Nugget.