Vegetables: Are these zucchini?

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glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) August 07, 2009 02:24 PM	I bought zucchini plants this year as I was running behind on getting my garden planted. They were all supposed to be the long dark green zucchini. About half of the plants are producing these odd-shaped fruit, and there are three colors, too. Each one starts out as either light green, dark green or striped, and they don't change color as they get bigger. Each color is from a different plant. The plants sure look like bush zucchini. My daughter says they are gourds, but I've never seen bush-type gourds, only vine gourds. Karen View Larger
Jim41 Delhi, LA August 07, 2009 04:28 PM	I agree with your daughter, I think they are goards.
Farmerdill Augusta, GA (Zone 8a) August 07, 2009 04:44 PM	Don't look like gourds, probably a zuch crossed with something. The C.pepo family is very promiscuous. Where did you buy your plants, not all seed savers are very careful to get true seeds.
Texasroses Marlin, TX August 07, 2009 04:49 PM	The one on the right vaguely resembles a Striata squash. One sure way to find out--cut into it and taste it. Of course, if you haven't tasted raw zucchini before, that's of little help. Zucchini, even crosses, will have a very tender skin. Gourds don't. You may have a whole new vegetable to brag about!
Jim41 Delhi, LA August 07, 2009 05:10 PM	Hey Texas, been missing you.
Quyen Orange, CA (Zone 10b) August 08, 2009 03:21 AM	Their coloring is similar to the Mexican zucchinis that I've seen at the market but the shape is different. Probably a cross.
glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) August 08, 2009 10:32 AM	I bought the plants from the Alabama Farmers Co-op. They are from Bonnie Plants. There were 9 plants in the pack. There is one of each of these, and the other six are regular dark green zucchinis. I thought it interesting that there is one plant of each of these three colors. All appear to have the same zucchini leaves and all of them are bush-type plants, not vining plants. They have very tender skin. I've only tasted one gourd and that was years ago. That one tasted like nothing at all -- like eating paper. These have a very nice flavor, very mild, very zucchini-like, and when I cut them open they look like zucchini. What would zucchini cross with? Scalloped squash? Karen
Farmerdill Augusta, GA (Zone 8a) August 08, 2009 11:33 AM	Zucchini wil cross with straightnecks, crooknecks, scallops, some pumpkins and other winter squash. The only zuke Bonnie lists is Black Beauty so they must have messed up somewhere.
glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) August 08, 2009 01:32 PM	Yep, six of them were Black Beauty. All nine were supposed to be. If I save some of the seeds from them, would I get the same thing or something completely different? Could be interesting since they do taste good. Karen
Farmerdill Augusta, GA (Zone 8a) August 08, 2009 02:28 PM	Difficult to say. They cross pollinate readily.
glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) August 09, 2009 10:58 AM	I'll just enjoy my mystery zucchini then. Thank you for your help. Karen
feldon30 Houston, TX (Zone 9a) August 09, 2009 08:18 PM	My vote: Incompletely pollinated zucchini. Should be great on the grill. :)
glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) August 11, 2009 09:03 AM	feldon30, Incompletely pollinated zucchini?? Each of these came from a different plant. It's as if they are three different types of squash. Karen
foodgardener Los Angeles, CA October 05, 2009 01:16 PM	I agree they look like the Mexican Zucchinis that I've seen too, especially the one on the left. It would be interesting if you took the seeds to see what would come from them. :)
glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) October 06, 2009 09:40 AM	Shortly after I took that photo the plants died from too much water as did all my other squash plants. It rained and rained here all summer, ruining nearly everything in the garden, especially the squash and tomatoes. I was going to save seeds from the next ones I got, but there were no next ones. Karen
1lisac Liberty Hill, TX (Zone 8a) October 09, 2009 11:36 PM	They look like they crossed with a watermelon. Is that possible? Lisa
glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL (Zone 7b) October 11, 2009 07:03 PM	Hi Lisa, I don't think so. Definitely some kind of crossing among squashes. When I cut into them they looked sort of like zucchini but the seeds were really small. They tasted like zucchini and were good eating. Karen
1lisac Liberty Hill, TX (Zone 8a) October 11, 2009 11:39 PM	Well, good eating is all that matters

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