Pumpkin is very famous and is one of the most important cucurbitaceous vegetable crops grown across the globe. Technically pumpkin is a fruit and used in culinary items. The ripe pumpkins are used for culinary (cooking) purpose. Pumpkins grown in summer and rainy season have great demand in the market. Pumpkins may be grown in different shapes and sizes. Pumpkins are like other squash and these vegetable are native to North America and famous for thanks giving celebrations. Pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use for using both in food and recreation. Pumpkin and its seeds possess excellent health benefits. They are great source of calcium and phosphorus. When it comes to plant description, pumpkins have larger leaves and sprawling vines with coiled, modified leaves called tendrils and almost square woody stem as opposed to the rounded, less tough stem of winter squash. These vegetables have important feeder roots near the soil surface and usually roots grow to about the length as vines which are called lateral roots. Pumpkin roots may reach up to 1.6 meter deep in the soil. Pumpkins belong to the family of "Cucurbitaceae" and genus of "Cucurbita". Pumpkins are called “Curcubita pepo” and “Cucurbita maxima” scientifically. When it comes to commercial production of pumpkins, it’s very important to procure quality seeds as seeds extracted from the vegetable crops are used for further sowing. Ream more about pumpkin growing here.
