(Credit: Pixabay)

This fall, millions of Americans will make their annual pilgrimage to a local “punkin patch” or other retail outlet to purchase a vegetable they likely will not eat. While many people throughout the world use pumpkin as a staple in their daily diet, in the United States this colorful member of the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) plant family is used primarily for decoration. For many, Halloween and Thanksgiving just would not be complete without pumpkins to adorn their holiday observances.

Selecting a pumpkin for Halloween is an annual family affair for many Americans. (Credit: Adobe Stock Images)

The work pumpkin is derived from the Greek word pepon which, literally interpreted, means “large melon.” The early French word for pumpkin was pompon which the English changed to pumpion. American colonists are credited with changing pumpion to pumpkin, the name which still is associated with this vegetable.

Pumpkin is a somewhat generic name assigned to several members of the genus Curcubita. They include C. maxima, C. moschata and C. pepo. It is not unusual to see the terms pumpkin and winter squash used for all three of these species. However, most authorities place the large, orange fruit sold for autumn decoration in the species C. pepo and assign winter squash as a common name to the other two species. Interestingly, the canned product sold for making pumpkin pies is derived from C. moschata, more commonly known as winter squash.

Pumpkins grown for processing or "largest pumpkin" contests botanically are a type of winter squash. (Credit: Ohio State University)

Archeological evidence suggests that pumpkin (and winter squash) is native to the Americas from the southwestern part of what is now the United States through Mexico and Central America and south into Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Pumpkins have been cultivated since about 3500 B.C. rivaling it with maize (corn) as one of the oldest known crops in the western hemisphere. Native Americans are said to have roasted long strips of pumpkin on an open fire and then consumed them. They also dried pumpkin strips and wove them into mats.

Presumably, American colonists relied heavily on pumpkin as a food source as evidenced by this poem titled Forefathers’ Song (circa 1630):

One way colonists are thought to have prepared pumpkins was to slice off their tops, remove the seeds and refill the inside with a mixture of milk, spices and honey. The resultant concoction was baked in hot ashes and is said to be the precursor of our modern pumpkin pie.

Columbus was known to have taken pumpkin seeds back to Europe when returning from one of his excursions. However, pumpkins are warm season vegetables that require a relative long growing season. Thus, they never have gained popularity in northern Europe and the British Isles where the summer temperatures are not conducive to their growth.

Today, pumpkins still are valuable as a food crop but are more widely used for their ornamental value. Brightly colored, orange pumpkins are a staple for fall decoration especially around Halloween when frightening faces are carved into them to form jack-o-lanterns. Although jack-o-lanterns have been carved by people for centuries, the use of pumpkins to make them is relatively new and originated in America.

Jack-o-lanterns originated in Ireland where, according to Irish myth, a nefarious character by the name of “Stingy Jack” succeeded in tricking the devil on several occasions through the course of his life, much to the devil’s annoyance. Upon his death, Stingy Jack appeared at the gates of hell to learn his eternal fate. The devil, having been fooled by him on several prior occasions, refused to let him enter. Banned from both heaven and hell, Jack was sent off into the dark night with a burning lump of coal in a hollowed-out turnip to guide his way. According to the legend, Jack has been roaming the Earth ever since.

The tradition of carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns stems from Irish folklore. (Credit: Pixabay)

Immigrants arriving in America continued the tradition of making jack-o-lanterns but found pumpkins much easier to carve than turnips. The association of jack-o-lanterns with Halloween is related to the Celtic festival of Samhain, observed on October 31st – the Celtic equivalent to our New Year’s Eve. The Celts believed the spirits of the dead (including Stingy Jack) roamed the earth on that night. Ghoulish jack-o-lanterns were carved and displayed to scare the evil spirits away and protect homes from the undead.

Harvested properly and stored under good conditions, pumpkins are among the longest lasting of vegetables. Fruits often may be stored and eaten until the time arrives in spring to plant next year’s crop. Although prolonged storage can reduce eating quality, pumpkin still is a good source of vitamins A, C and K along with dietary fiber and other essential vitamins and minerals. Before modern production and shipping methods which provide us with fresh vegetables year around, pumpkins were essential for healthy eating during the long winter months.

Only sound, fully mature pumpkins store well. The skin (rind) should be hard, and there should be no surface damage from handling or from insects. Any wounds can make the fruit more susceptible to rot that reduces storage life. Pumpkin (or squash) should be cut from the vine with a portion of the stem remaining. An open wound which results when the stem breaks directly off at the base of the pumpkin tends to reduce storage life. Also, it is important not to drop or toss pumpkins. Bruises that might result from rough handling may not heal over and will reduce storage life.

Following harvest, pumpkins benefit from a curing period (10 days at 80 degrees F.) to improve their keeping ability. If any surface scratches, insect feeding damage or other wounds from handling have occurred, curing under proper conditions helps to “heal” small wounds by forming callus tissue. Curing and subsequent callus formation can prevent the entrance of rot-inducing organisms, when carried out promptly. The undamaged rind also will harden a bit more during the curing process.

Storage conditions for pumpkins are different from those of many of vegetables. They prefer temperatures that are cool, but not cold. Temperatures from 50 to 55 degrees F. along with low humidity are ideal conditions for long-term storage. Pumpkins should not be stored in outdoor pits or bulb cellars where relative humidity is high, and temperatures are cool.

Properly cured, pumpkins have a very long storage life under proper conditions. (Credit: Pixabay)

Additionally, pumpkin pulp can be frozen or canned. These preservation methods represent ways to give jack-o’-lanterns added value, as the pulp is scooped out of the pumpkin to ready it for carving. Additionally, strips of pumpkin “flesh” can be dried or pickled for later consumption. In all cases, make certain to follow proper food preservation safety measures.