When you found a crop like zucchini , it ’s all about taste the moment , and delight summertime ’s bounty . Growing wintertime squashon the other handwriting – that show you ’re recall ahead .

So , care for your future self to a feast – pluck winter squash miscellany that will fit out your growing season and the dimensions of your garden , andplease your palate .

Winter squash is one of my favorite vegetables , both to eat and to grow . And although the payoff is delayed , since you have to be patient throughout the summertime and rent your crop mature , what a payoff it is !

A close up horizontal image of a pile of different types of winter squash.

‘Angel Hair.’

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I lovechoosingwinter mash seed variety to constitute each yr almost as much as I enjoy actually eating the fruits of my labor . Almost .

So , I ’ve put together this roundup of some of the good winter squash smorgasbord around , making certain to include something for everyone when it come to works size of it , days to adulthood , discernment , and texture .

A close up vertical image of a pile of different types of winter squash.

‘Angel Hair.’

I ’ll also be indisputable to let you know what species each of these cultivars is , in casing you want to keep open seeds .

Here ’s a peep at my list :

11 Favorite Winter Squash Varieties

1 . Angel Hair

2 . Blue Hubbard

3 . Burgess Buttercup

A close up vertical image of a pile of different types of winter squash. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

4 . Cushaw Green Striped

5 . Futsu Black

6 . Honey Boat

A fork being used to shred the flesh of a small spaghetti squash on a white plate.

‘Angel Hair.’

7 . Honeynut

8 . Lakota

9 . Red Kuri

A close up vertical image of a seed packet of ‘Angel Hair’ squash with text to the left of the frame and a hand-drawn illustration to the right.

10 . Sweet REBA

11 . Uncle David ’s Dakota Dessert

‘ Angel Hair ’ is a extremely productive hybrid variety ofspaghetti squashthat offers personal - sized fruit .

A close up horizontal image of ‘Blue Hubbard’ squash in a pile in front of a straw bale.

‘Blue Hubbard.’

Each works produces up to fifteen egg - form squash that weigh in at one and a one-half to two pounds each . They measure three and a one-half to four inches wide-eyed , and four to five inches improbable .

‘ Angel Hair ’ has a dark yellow rind enclosing light yellow flesh that shreds into strands of fine “ spaghetti . ”

I like to enjoy the balmy but crisp flesh of this potpourri roasted in the oven , drizzle with a little olive oil color , and topped with fresh goat cheese andoregano .

Burgess Buttercup winter squash fruit hanging from a vine growing on a wooden trellis.

‘Burgess Buttercup.’

‘ Angel Hair ’

A cultivar ofC. pepo , since these squash are on the belittled sizing , the long vines of the plant are easy to treillage .

ask your first harvest in 88 days .

A close up horizontal image of a pile of ‘Cushaw Striped’ winter squash pictured in light sunshine.

‘Cushaw Green Striped.’

You ’ll find ‘ Angel Hair ’ useable for purchase in plurality of eight seedsat Botanical Interests .

If you desire to rise an ample winter squash that will keep for a farseeing sentence and provide you with many culinary enjoyment , you might want to include ‘ Blue Hubbard ’ in your garden .

A cultivar ofC. maxima , the fruits of ‘ Blue Hubbard ’ are teardrop mold with pale blue - white-haired skin , and they weigh 12 to 40 pounds at maturity date . This wintertime squash has shallow costa and is jolly bumpy .

A close up horizontal image of ‘Futsu’ musk pumpkins set on a wooden table in light sunshine.

‘Futsu Black.’

Inside the hard dreary shell , this cultivar has white-livered form that is scented and velvety with a fine texture , making ‘ Blue Hubbard ’ great for pies , soups , and roasting .

‘ Blue Hubbard ’ is open pollinated , with long vines that need 100 to 110 days to bring a crop to maturity . This motley is excellent for memory board , keeping for six month or more .

‘ Blue Hubbard ’

A close up square image of three ‘Futsu Black’ pumpkins set on the ground by a wooden basket.

You ’ll retrieve ‘ Blue Hubbard ’ seeds available in an assortment of packet sizesfrom True Leaf Market .

‘ Burgess Buttercup ’ is a variety ofC. maximathat has a dark green , thin , hard rind with faint light green stripes , and a flattened top . There is a “ button ” on the flower end of each squash .

This winter squash vine was cite after the semen purveyors that innovate the variety in 1952 , the Burgess Seed and Plant Company .

Three ‘Honey Boat’ winter squash fruit laying in green grass.

‘Honey Boat.’

Each plant contain three to four fruits that weigh in at three to five Cypriot pound each , and have a very sweet and more or less loony flavor .

The human body of ‘ Burgess Buttercup ’ is golden to orange colored and free of fiber , with a dry texture .

Great for morecompact garden , this plant life grows in a George Bush shape and produce a harvest in 85 to 100 days .

A close up vertical image of a seed packet of ‘Honey Boat’ squash with text to the left of the frame and a hand-drawn illustration to the right.

‘ Burgess Buttercup ’

In storage , ‘ Burgess Buttercup ’ is a medium - tenacious keeper .

You ’ll come up ‘ Burgess Buttercup ’ seed usable for purchase in an assortment of software system sizesat True Leaf Market .

A close up horizontal image of a pile of ‘Honey Nut’ squash harvested from the vine.

‘Honeynut.’

‘ Cushaw Green Striped ’ is an heirloom variety ofC. mixtathat blow both heat permissiveness and pestilence immunity .

This cultivar was included in the Slow Food Foundation ’s Ark of Taste because of itshistorical significanceamong many tribal peoples of the Southwestern United States .

It is also used in traditional recipes from Louisiana , and in the Southern Appalachian region it often film the place of honor in pumpkin Proto-Indo European recipes .

A close up vertical image of a seed packet of ‘Honey Nut’ squash with text to the left of the frame and a hand-drawn illustration to the right.

In Tennessee , home base Captain Cook use this variety to make “ cushaw butter , ” a twirl on pumpkin butter .

‘ Cushaw Green Striped ’ produces large crookneck squash winter squashes that are white with dark-green stripes , weighing in at 10 to 15 pound each , and reaching up to 20 in in duration .

Sometimes called “ Tennessee seraphic white potato ” or “ gratifying tater pumpkin , ” this variety has mild , light yellow flesh that is moist and has a good texture that is just slightly grainy .

A close up horizontal image of bright red ‘Lakota’ squash in a wooden box.

‘Lakota.’

However , in central for a less creamy texture , you ’re going to get a monumental amount of squash .

The vines of this heirloom are vigorous , heavy conceding , and resistant to squelch vine borers and downy mould , making this plant a great alternative for those who have struggled to produce a wintertime squash harvest home in the past because of pests or disease .

‘ Cushaw Green Striped ’

A close up vertical image of a seed packet of ‘Lakota’ squash with text to the left of the frame and a hand-drawn illustration to the right.

Expect your harvest time in 95 days .

You ’ll observe ‘ Cushaw Green Striped ’ seeds available for purchase in an array of package sizesat True Leaf Market .

Learn more about spring up cushaw varieties here .

A close up horizontal image of a small ‘Kuri’ squash sliced in half set on a jute fabric.

‘Red Kuri.’

‘ Futsu Black ’ is aC. moschatacultivar from Japan that is a deary of many gardeners .

This productive form get three to five fruits per plant , each weigh three to five pounds each . Fruits are round and deeply ridicule with warty skin .

Also know as ‘ Futtsu Black Early , ’ this squash changes from black to chestnut emblazon while in storage and break a “ bloom ” on its skin , making it even more decorative .

A close up vertical image of a seed packet of ‘Red Kuri’ squash with text to the left of the frame and a hand-drawn illustration to the right.

Before you transform your ‘ Futsu Black ’ harvest time into solid food , you might require to take advantage of its singular appearance as part of yourautumnal decor .

Inside that distinctive skin you ’ll find smart orange flesh that has a creamy grain .

The flesh of ‘ Black Futsu ’ has a fruity flavour at harvest , and after storage it becomes nuttier . The skin is comestible , and since it ’s thin , this variety is not fit to long term store .

Close up of a harvested Sweet REBA acorn squash on a pile of other harvested acorn squash fruit.

‘Sweet REBA’

In the kitchen , ‘ Black Futsu ’ is delicious raw , roast , and in purees and pies .

‘ Futsu Black ’

vine reach three to five feet foresightful , and provide a harvest in 105 day .

A close up of a pile of ‘Sweet Reba’ winter squash.

You ’ll find ‘ Futsu Black ’ available for leverage in a smorgasbord of packet sizesfrom High Mowing Organic Seeds .

Sometimes a mellifluous treat can get down from a healthy fundament , and such is the case with ‘ Honey Boat . ’

This cultivar was developed by Jim Baggett at Oregon State University in 1988 . An loose - pollinateddelicata , it is a mixture ofC. pepo .

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Oblong fruits are six to eight inches long and three inch across , count about a pound each , and making trellis easy .

‘ Honey Boat ’ has yellowish tan skin with green stripes . in spite of appearance , its flesh is jaundiced - orange with a unruffled texture .

With a smell that is both scented and nutty , ‘ Honey Boat ’ is considered one of the angelical winter squashes .

It has a large seed caries so it ’s sound for using as a “ boat ” for whatever fill you might prefer , even a drizzling of honey or maple syrup .

‘ Honey Boat ’

The vines of these plant grow to be nine to 12 infantry long , make a harvest in 90 to 100 day .

‘ Honey Boat ’ does n’t take to be cure after harvesting , but it keeps well , even so .

You ’ll find ‘ Honey Boat ’ seeds available for purchase in 1.5 - gram packetsat Botanical Interests .

‘ Honeynut ’ has n’t yet gained the status of an heirloom cultivar , but it has prestige for another intellect .

It was developed by Cornell University industrial plant stock breeder Michael Mazourek in collaboration with Dan Barber , farm - to - table chef and author of “ The Third Plate , ” which isavailable from Amazon .

This partnership started when Mazourek was touring Barber ’s restaurant , Blue Hill at Stone Barns .

The plant breeder entered the restaurant kitchen and Barber greeted him with a challenge , asking him why , if he was a industrial plant stock breeder , he could n’t make a butternut squash that tasted well – and while he was at it , why not make it smaller , too ?

Mazourek have the challenge , and ‘ Honeynut ’ was born .

As promised , ‘ Honeynut ’ is both small and tasty than astandard butternut squash .

Squat fruits are four to five inches long , and consider in at a half a pound sterling to a Egyptian pound each .

This cultivar ofC. moschatais moderately enough to originate for decoration only . go out greenish , when ripe , ‘ Honeynut ’ turns a rich terra cotta color .

However , it would be a shame to keep this variety in your abode without tasting it . ‘ Honeynut ’ is deliciously sugared with a creamy texture , and a thin skin that can be eaten .

summary vines are 24 to 36 inches long , and have good resistance topowdery mildewand mash vine borers . And because of the fruits ’ diminutive size , the plant life are promiscuous togrow verticallyon a trellis .

‘ Honeynut ’

Expect a harvest in 110 days , with an average of five fruits per industrial plant .

‘ Honeynut ’ will lay in for up to six months .

You ’ll find ‘ Honeynut ’ available for purchase in packs of ten seedsat Botanical Interests .

While many sources claim that ‘ Lakota ’ is an ancient Native American cultivar , that ’s not the whole story .

‘ Lakota ’ begin out as aC. maximalandrace grown by Native Americans living in the Missouri River Valley .

It was only stabilized as a cultivar later , in Western Nebraska , one of the ancestral lands of the Sioux multitude . The name ‘ Lakota ’ was given to the cultivar in honor of the Sioux .

The fruits of ‘ Lakota ’ are pear tree - shaped and count an norm of 12 hammer each .

The food color and pattern on this variety ’s skin makes it quite memorable – it is bright reddish orange tree with green streak .

But ‘ Lakota ’ is more than just passably . Its golden flesh is sweet and nuts and has a hunky-dory texture , get it excellent for broil .

Before you plant ‘ Lakota ’ in your garden plot of land , be forewarned , the vines of this variety show can pass on 10 to 20 feet recollective .

‘ Lakota ’

enumeration 85 to 100 day before harvesting this lulu . Once harvested , ‘ Lakota ’ make a good storage squash .

You ’ll chance ‘ Lakota ’ available for purchase in two - Hans C. J. Gram seed packetsat Botanical Interests .

‘ Red Kuri ’ is a colorful Nipponese miscellanea ofC. maximawith a teardrop shape .

Also called ‘ Orange Hokkaido , ’ ‘ Baby Red Hubbard , ’ and ‘ Uchiki Kuri , ’ the fruits of this variety weigh in at three to eight pounds each .

Each industrial plant produces two to three yield with brilliant , crimson orangish hide .

inclose within that lovely pelt is rich favorable flesh that is mellifluous in nip with chestnut undertones , and it has a bland , dry grain .

The size and timbre of this cultivar stool it complete for eat as a simple side dish or using for pies . It ’s a true delicacy .

Vines are four to six feet recollective , and have good electrical resistance to cucumber beetles .

‘ Red Kuri ’

carry to harvest ‘ Red Kuri ’ in 92 to 95 days . This cultivar is a honorable keeper .

You ’ll discover ‘ Red Kuri ’ seeds available for purchase in packets weighing one and a half gramsat Botanical Interests .

‘ Sweet REBA ’ is an acorn type , open - pollinate squash vine .

No , the name of this cultivar is not an homage to a certain scarlet - headed land music star , though I would n’t pick you for think that .

alternatively , REBA is an acronym which stands for tolerant Early Bush Acorn . And that sums up this cultivar ’s qualities nicely !

‘ Sweet REBA ’ was developed in a partnership between constituent seeded player caller High Mowing Seeds and Cornell University . They bred this variety for disease resistance , yield , savour , and other maturity .

Each plant of this cultivar ofC. pepoproduces four or five fruitsweighing two to two and a one-half pounds each .

These are very rounded acorn squash with deep costa and dark green skin . The light orange flesh of ‘ Sweet REBA ’ has outstanding feel and texture , making these large for either stuff or savour as a tasty side mantrap .

eminent yielding bush type industrial plant farm to be two feet marvellous and three feet wide , and are highly resistant to powdery mildew .

‘ Sweet REBA ’

Expect a harvesting in 90 days . ‘ Sweet REBA ’ is a sound steward .

You ’ll discover ‘ Sweet REBA ’ available for purchase in a sort of packet sizesfrom High Mowing Organic Seeds .

How about a long keeper that does well in northern climate and has good cold tolerance ?

‘ Uncle David ’s Dakota Dessert ’ is a buttercup type squash bred in North Dakota by David Podoll . It ’s a crossbreeding between ‘ Hubbard , ’ ‘ Gold Nugget , ’ and other varieties ofC. maxima .

This miscellanea is thinly ribbed and has drear unripe skin with lighter green mottling , with a pattern alike to that of a watermelon .

‘ Uncle David ’s Dakota Dessert ’ has a humble semen dental caries and thick , thick orangish form that is rich and perfumed , with a smooth texture .

This sort is so tasty that you wo n’t ask to do much to it so as to love it , but also cultivate wonders in pies and other afters , as its name hint .

‘ Uncle David ’s Dakota Dessert ’ was cover for good cold allowance , as well as margin to dry grow condition . Expect three or more fruit per flora in 95 to 105 solar day after sow .

‘ Uncle David ’s Dakota Dessert ’

For best eating , cure for one to two months , then keep in a cool fix for longer storage .

You ’ll find ‘ Uncle David ’s Dakota Dessert ’ available for leverage in packs of 20 seedsvia Amazon .

Move Over, Pumpkin Patch

So , there you have it . A selection of tasty wintertime squelch varieties to fill your garden , and all your fall and winter culinary needs .

And if you ’d care to keep expanding yoursquash and pumpkinknowledge , be certain to take these guides next :

© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . First published July 26th , 2021 . Last updated April 16th , 2025 . Product pic via Botanical Interests , HeirloomSupplySuccess , High Mowing Organic Seeds , PAPCOOL , and True Leaf Market . Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .

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Kristina Hicks - Hamblin