Sometimes there is debate about what a pumpkin is – is it a vegetable, a fruit or a berry? This question needs to be approached from different points of view. According to nerds, “It is rather a berry, exactly the same as tomatoes or watermelons. But for a gardener or a cook, it is rather a vegetable. It should be assumed that the controversy on this subject is exclusively terminological.
- Historical background
- General characteristic
- Useful properties
- Types of pumpkin
- Hard-bark
- Large-fruited
- Muscatles
- Who is part of the pumpkin family
- Varieties
- To summarize
What is a pumpkin: vegetable, berry or fruit
Historical background
Pumpkins are grown for so long that determining their exact origin is practical ki is impossible.
Some researchers believe that it was imported to China from Europe, while others consider it to be South America’s homeland.
But, in fact, it’s almost impossible to pinpoint the origin, because it is actively grown on almost all continents (except Antarctica).
Also, pumpkin was distributed among the Aztecs, as evidenced by many documents. In Asia, one of the applications was the manufacture of vessels for liquids and even cages for small birds.
General characteristic
According to the scientific classification, pumpkins belong to herbaceous plants of the family Pumpkin
Usually, the word “pumpkin” refers to starchy fruits that are cultivated as a fodder and food plant.
If we talk about the botanical description, it is a one- or perennial plant with large white or yellow flowers and rough stems creeping on the ground. Leaves are lobed.
The fact that the culture does not grow on a tree disproves its affiliation in fruits.
Fruits, as a rule, have a hard peel, and inside they are numerous seeds that are separated from the pulp. And this, by the way, is proof that the Pumpkin is not a berry, which means it can be safely called a vegetable by exception.
Useful properties
Surely many of we have heard about the beneficial properties of pumpkin, but few people know that it contains 5 times more provitamin A, compared with carrots, and 3 times more than beef liver.
Almost everything is useful in this plant – seeds, pulp and juice.
What else is contained in the fruits:
- trace elements: fluorine, manganese, iodine, cobalt, honey b, iron and zinc.
- macroelements: sodium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium.
- vitamins: group B, folic acid, A, C and E.
- glucose.
- fructose.
- dietary fiber.
- pectins.
Types of pumpkin
The palatability of pumpkin differs from the varieties
There are several main types that differ greatly in characteristics.
Hard-bodied
How you can guess from the name, hard-boiled pumpkins ripened have a very thick peel.
This species is appreciated for its early ripening, has not very large fruits and delicious cream-colored seeds.
In addition , bush varieties of this variety are often found, which is very convenient yes it comes to saving space.
The group includes: Acorn, Spaghetti, Freckle, Almond and others.
Large-fruited
The view is famous not only for its size, but also for its taste.
Representatives of large-fruited pumpkins are considered one of the sweetest. In addition, they tolerate temperature extremes and can be stored for a long time after harvest.
To large-fruited include: Zorka, Candy, Crumb and Hundred pounds.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg pumpkins are considered the most vitamin and delicious.
Plants of this species are recommended to be grown through seedlings.
It is worth mentioning that These are very heat-loving varieties, therefore they must be planted exclusively in the southern regions.
Nutmeg belongs to: Vitamin, Butternat and Prikubanskaya.
Who is in the pumpkin family
Before considering which vegetables are also pumpkin , it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the family itself.
- Most representatives are one or two year old herbs. Their common feature, from the point of view of botanists, is the lianoid life form.
- Typically, representatives have long, juicy stems that creep on the ground or cling to a support with a mustache.
- Fruits polyspermous, berry-like. The peel is firm, and the flesh is fleshy.
Varieties
Scientists divide the pumpkin family into 13 genera.
According to this classification, plants can be divided into fruit and decorative.
- To the fruit belong: pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers, zucchini and zucchini.
- To the exotic belong all the plants that are not part of the fruit group.
Childbirth:
- Pumpkin (also squash and squash).
- Cucumber (anguria, cucumber, Kiwano, melon).
- Loofah.
- Chayote.
- Watermelon.
- Momordica.
- Beninkaza.
- Lagenaria.
- TS Clanter.
- Trihosant.
- Melotria.
- Sican.
- Tladianta.
Drive they don’t know the results
The origin of the pumpkin is unknown, but it can be said with certainty that it has a whole range of useful properties.
The culture does not grow on the tree, there are seeds in the fruits, but there are much more 10, moreover, they are concentrated in one place (in the center) and are clearly separated from the pulp.
All these facts indicate that the pumpkin is not a berry or fruit at all, but a vegetable.
