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Cocozelle Zucchini Summer Squash

Cucurbita pepo

Price: $3.13

SKU: 3370161

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55 days โ€”ย  Also known as 'Cocozella di Napoli', this Italian heirloom has not only become a garden staple, it was also a parent to enough newer named varieties that it is now a category of Cucurbita pepo.[2] The plants are bush-type producing long cylindrical zucchini fruit that are dark green colored and striped in lighter green. Their flesh is greenish white and firm. Although we prefer to harvest the fruit when they are about eight to ten inches in length, Vilmorin-Andrieux (1883)[1] reported:
"All through Italy . . . the fruit is eaten quite young, when it is hardly the size of a cucumber, sometimes even before the flower has opened, when the ovary, which is scarcely as long or as thick as the finger, is gathered for use. The plants, thus deprived of their undeveloped fruit, continue to flower for several months most profusely . . ."
In searching the archive, it appears that W. Atlee Burpee gets the credit for introducing 'Cocozelle' summer squash to North American gardeners in 1890.[3] Within merely two to three years, nearly every seed catalogue began carrying it. Each packet contains four grams, which is approximately 26 to 28 seeds.
Planting Instructions: Choose a location that has warm, well-drained and fertile soil. Work in plenty of organic matter and mulch to conserve moisture.

Sow directly into the garden after any threat of frost has past. Sow one inch deep in hills or rows spaced 24 to 30 inches apart.

Harvest when the fruit is six to eight inches long or still tender. Harvest will be lengthened if you keep picking.
Informational Resources:
  1. "Les Plantes Potagรจres," Vilmorin-Andrieux & Cie., 1883, page 182.
  2. "The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Growerโ€™s Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds," by Amy Goldman, Workman Publishing, New York, NY, 2005, page 146.
  3. "Burpee's Novelties for 1890," W. Atlee Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1890, page 25.

Customer Reviews:

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โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… Cocozelle is my #1 "Zucchini"
By Christa Nice (Pennsylvania) on May 27, 2024

I will always grow this squash because of these 3 things: - Firstly, it's the only summer squash I have grown that survives the squash borer attacks. It makes multiple crowns, and the squash borer can't get to all of them before the Squash borer's short life cycle is over. - Secondly, it's delicious!!! While zucchini can sometimes have a spongy texture, Cocozelle is nice and firm and has a slightly nutty flavor. - Thirdly, it's beautiful!!! It has yellow and green striping and a slight ridging. I highly recommend this one.

โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… prolific zucchini
By Anne Holzinger on September 28, 2022

A planted two hills of this zucchini and had more than plenty fruit for my family. Very tasty variety.

โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… Lovely flavor and few seeds
By Jennifer Nunn on July 26, 2022

I have 2 of these plants and they are very hearty. The zucchinis are flavorful when small or large. I've used them for grilling, stir fry, noodles, and bread all with excellent results. Even those I let get larger (around 14) were dense and had very little seeds.

โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… Its a staple in our high mountain garden every year.
By Rose Jaeger on February 16, 2020

This squash is germinated next to our wood stove mid April, and placed in a south window to grow until it is planted outside the first week of June. (frost danger before that date) It transplants like a champ and thrives even at our high 7000 ft altitude. The flavor is wonderful on the grill, baked, in zucchini bread, whatever you desire. This is a very hearty plant that has to withstand cold winds, and cooler evenings, yet it still produces more than my family can eat. When given a choice between regular green zucchini or yellow zucchini my neighbors grab the Cocozelle first! Its a staple in our high mountain garden every year.

โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… Delicious garden monsters
By Maureen Malecki on February 2, 2016

I grew three plants in 2015. I had never grown squash before but had heard the harvests can be overwhelming. I had thought three plants would be manageable but oh my was I wrong. We could not eat or give them away before they reached over a foot in length. I think my mistake was from the beginning not picking them at the recommended 6 to 8 inches. Bigger is not better, pick early and often!! I had one plant travel over six feet in my garden! So be warned, they need their space. That being said, both my celery and leeks did quite well in close proximity. Looking forward to growing again with the knowledge of last season in hand.

โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… Simply amazing! Taste and variety
By R LaRocca on July 29, 2015

This is a super zucchini! The first time I have grown them. I will forever grow them every year with joyful anticipation. Delicious at any size, we had whoppers up to 3 pounds measuring over 12 inches. We usually have problems with squash vine borers in the spring. No exception this year. These vines however are so tough that although we had extensive damage, the little pests were not able to substantially damage or kill any of the vines. The store bought varieties available locally would have been dead long before I pulled and composted these still capable but chewed up vines. Looking forward to the fall crop. Tough! Love em, thanks Victory!

โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… Simply an incredible product.
By Mary Short - Co-Owner Marc's Garden on February 12, 2013

Simply an incredible product. Can be picked early like most Zucchini types. We find it's best flavor and usability well above standard sizes, and our customers agree. Best flavor is in fruits of 12 to 16 inches. Prolific even in years of extreme heat, or very late cold. We have been growing and selling this product for years and it is simply a perennial with our customer, who come back year after year just for this squash.