All squashed up

This stripy squash can grow up to 19 1⁄2 in (50 cm) long.

Edible seeds, held inside bright yellow flesh, are a good source of zinc.

A hooked neck gives this warty yellow squash its name.

Heaviest pumpkin 2,624 lb (1,190.5 kg) Hatchback car

The world record for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown was in 2016 for a fruit weighing 2,624 lb (1,190.5 kg), around the same weight as a hatchback car.

Although they are typically eaten as vegetables, squashes are actually the fruits of creeping vine plants that belong to the gourd family. There are many types of squashes, and they come in lots of curious shapes.

The round fruits change color from green to orange as they ripen.

Almost all species of squash originally come from Central and South America but are now grown around the world, particularly in India and China. These large and fleshy fruits are rich in vitamins. The vitamin content is particularly high in squashes with orange and yellow flesh, such

The fibrous skeleton of a dried and peeled luffa can be used with soap and water as a bath sponge.

The teardrop-shaped fruits taste like chestnuts and are popular in Japan.

Dried luffa

This fruit’s skin turns bitter once the luffa grows longer than 4–4 3⁄4 in (10–12 cm).

Thick necks do not contain seeds so yield a lot of flesh. These giant squashes can weigh up to 39 1⁄2 lb (18 kg) but are much tastier when smaller.

The green skin is a great source of fiber.

Long necks can stretch to more than 35 in (90 cm).

Hulusi flutes are traditional Chinese instruments made of a gourd and three bamboo pipes.

Shaped like a flying saucer, these fruits are a slightly sweeter version of a zucchini.

as green pumpkins and Hubbard squashes. Most of these fruits are cooked and eaten as savory dishes such as soups and stews, but some sweeter varieties, including pumpkin and butternut squash, are also baked into cakes and pies. Cucumbers are typically eaten raw or pickled. Edible pattypan squashes are popular fall decorations, while other squashes with hard skins, known as gourds, can be dried and used to make everyday items such as jars, bottles, or even musical instruments, including maracas, flutes, and drums.