Cucurbita maxima - 80 pound Marblehead squash

Does anyone know of this type of squash? From what I have read, it is a winter storage squash that was grown in Idaho and Pennsylvania (by the Amish).

I read suggestions that this squash is the ancestor to today's Hubbard squashes.

The Marblehead squash interests me because it is said to grow to an average of 80 pounds. I want one. :)

Any help here?

Dave

Here is a little information on the squash you wanted to know about, I am not sure just what your looking for but hopes this helps.

Cucurbita maxima - This classification is characterized by its large fruit and includes the mammoth and giant varieties including Big Max, Mammoth Prize and Atlantic
Giant.
Also a little more, I do hope this will help ya.
Cucurbita maxima:
Stems are round, hairy and somewhat soft. Members include Hubbard, turban, delicious, banana, marblehead and buttercup squash.

Most of the websites I have visited have given just general information on these plants and it may not be what your looiking for, so you might want to look under some of the other names listed above.


This message was edited Friday, Aug 15th 4:21 PM

Thanks for this general information, windsurffer. In this case, I am looking for specific information on a C. maxima cultivar called "Marblehead". The only reference to it I can find is in a printed book that only devoted one paragraph to it.

Dave

Have you tried your local library? You'd be suprised what you can find there. Even in some books that you might not be able to check out but can print a copy of a page with the information you need.
You can also ask them about their inter library loans from libraries all of the world, you just might be able to find what your looking for....good luck.

Thanks for the library tip. I don't think I have that kind of patience. :) I think I'll stick with my Hubbards. :)

dave

:}

Maybe this is it...

http://www.burpee.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=965&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=hubbard

...and a brief, old history on it.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fhubbardsquash.html

Yep, that's the Hubbard Squash. It was developed from the Marblehead squash (which apparantly must be extinct now).

Thanks,
Dave

It's probably as close as you'll get. Looking at the stories, Marblehead appears to have been the original Hubbard and the one at Burpee is it's progeny.

Edited.




This message was edited May 20, 2005 1:32 PM

Here's Thomas Etty Esq's site.

http://www.nfarley.dircon.co.uk/thomas-etty/vegetables/pumpkin.htm

Though they don't have the seeds, there's another bit of history on the Eastern Native Seed Conservancy site...

"True Green was a Massachusetts introduction in 1857 by the Gregory Seed Company of Marblehead, MA, possibly brought in by a sea captain to Boston or elsewhere around 1798."