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Cucurbitaceae
CUCURBITA moschata 'Waltham Butternut'
Butternut Squash, Waltham Butternut Squash
Winner of the 1970 All-America Selections award, 'Waltham Butternut' bears large, bottle-shaped squash with smooth, tan skin and deep orange, richly flavored flesh surrounding a very small seed cavity. The fruits are excellent for roasting, steaming, and pies, and will keep for several months if stored properly. They are borne on vigorous, mildew and borer resistant, semi-bush plants, and ripen approximately 95 days from sowing.
Like many winter squash, ‘Waltham Butternut’ is derived from the species Cucurbita moschata, a warm season, annual vine originating from the Americas. These large, rambling plants cling to supports via tendrils, and form roots along the stems as they spread. The enormous lobed green leaves have a coarse surface texture that can irritate the skin. As with most cucurbits, separate male and female flowers appear on the same plant. The male flowers appear first on the vine followed by the female flowers, which have distinctive bulbous ovaries at their bases. These blossoms are large, golden yellow and pollinated by bees.
Sow squash seeds directly into mounds of rich, light soil after the danger of frost has passed. Full sun is required for successful flowering and fruiting. To reduce the risk of fungal problems, avoid unnecessary wetting of vine stems and leaves. Monitor closely for stem borers, leaf bugs and beetles, and protect from browsing deer, birds and rodents in autumn. Cut mature fruits from the vine before heavy frost when the rind is firm and solid in color, leaving enough stem for easy handling and to discourage fruit rot. Take care not to cut or bruise the skin, and store the squash in a cool, dry, frost-free location, leaving space between for good air circulation.
12 - 1
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Vegetable
Full Sun
1'-2' / 0.3m - 0.6m
6'-8' / 1.8m - 2.4m
Indeterminate
North America, Central America, South America
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Loam
Fast
Average Water
Prostrate/Trailing
Fall
Showy
Yellow, Gold
Tan
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow Green
No
Single
Yes
Coarse
Matte
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Birds
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