Winter Squash and Pumpkin

Winter squash and pumpkin (*Cucurbita maxima*) is a warm-season annual vine grown for its edible fruit. [North Carolina Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cucurbita-maxima/) describes vigorous stems that trail over the ground or attach to supports with tendrils, large leaves and yellow flowers. Fruit size, shape, color and vine length vary widely among cultivar groups. It is a different species from C. pepo and C. moschata, which also include vegetables called squash or pumpkin. ## Site and care Grow in full sun with moderately moist, well-drained soil and enough space for the chosen variety. Sow into warm soil or transplant after frost risk has passed. Use a support sized for both the vine and its fruit if growing vertically. Monitor young plants for slugs, aphids and beetles. Harvest according to the variety and clear spent vines rather than leaving dry seasonal growth around structures. This general species record does not individually assess each named pumpkin or squash cultivar. ## Tasmania Fire Service — 2014–15 The [TFS garden-plant guide](https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/landcaretas/pages/101/attachments/original/1466562095/140835_TFSFireResistingPlants_2014_15.pdf?1466562095=) classifies this species as Moderate Flammability. It advises avoiding moderate-flammability plants in the Building Protection Zone, preventing them from dominating a garden and removing dead material before it accumulates. Retain these placement and maintenance conditions with the assessment.