Green Striped Cushaw Squash

95 days — Originally known as "Improved Cushaw," other synonyms include "Striped Crookneck" and "Striped Cushaw." It is a very old pumpkin / squash variety from back when pumpkins were for eating. These do not look like what we would consider a "pumpkin" in this Jack-O-Lantern day and age.

The fruit are crookneck shaped with a rind that is thin, hard and smooth. It is creamy-white in color with shades of green mottling and stripes that fade as the fruit mature.  It is an excellent keeper; if stored properly can last over six months. The flesh is light colored, fine grained, very dry and resembles sweet potatoes in flavor. Makes an excellent pie. Fruit average ten to twenty pounds in weight.

According to the authoritative "Vegetables of New York" series regarding the origin of 'Green Striped Cushaw,' "It is quite probable that the striped form of the Cushaw was one of the native varieties of the West Indies but that it became a cultivated form after the development of Golden Cushaw." It appears that it conservatively predates the 1890s. Each packet contains four grams, which is approximately 18 to 20 seeds.