Pumpkin varieties at a glance: Autumn is so colorful

The most common types of pumpkin from patisson to Hokkaido – an overview of the large and diverse pumpkin family.

Overall there is by the way more than 800 types of pumpkin – edible and ornamental pumpkins. In Styria, pumpkin seeds are used to make dark green pumpkin seed oil, which is delicious with pumpkin soup and salads. We introduce you to the most popular types of pumpkin from A to Z.

Pumpkin varieties: Bischofsmütze

The Bishop's cap stands out due to its unusual appearance. As it grows, the flower base remains as a ring, around which bulging, often different colored flesh forms. Since the pumpkin is difficult to cut because of this growth, it is usually hollowed out and filled with soup. It tastes aromatic and is offered as a fruit weighing 1 to 2 kilograms.

Pumpkin varieties: the butternut squash

Pumpkin varieties: butternut squash

Butternut, also Butternut called, is pear-shaped and weighs about 1 to 2 kilograms. This strain has only a few seeds and therefore provides a lot of pulp. The pumpkin has a delicate buttery aroma, hence its name. It tastes raw or cooked.

The butternut squash is one of the so-called Musk Pumpkins. When cut, they smell slightly of musk and only grow in warm climates. The pumpkin tastes best, when it is still green, i.e. slightly immature. Ripe fruits have a cream-colored to brown skin. You can find out more about the butternut squash here.

Pumpkin varieties: the Hokkaido pumpkin

Pumpkin varieties: Hokkaido pumpkin

Hokkaido, also Onion squash, chestnut squash or potimarron called, is one of the most popular and tastiest giant pumpkin varieties. The fruits are offered with a weight of 1 to 2 kilograms and have a shape reminiscent of onions. The skin is bright orange and can be cooked and eaten with. This makes it easy to prepare. With its fine chestnut aroma, the Hokkaido is a "starter pumpkin" that is available everywhere. It tastes great as a pumpkin cream soup, pumpkin casserole or pumpkin pie.

Giant pumpkins, like the Hokkaido pumpkin, can be gigantic in size. For example, the "German yellow hundredweight" is known, which actually can weigh more than 50 kilograms and can be admired in many cottage gardens. But there are also many varieties with smaller fruits that taste much more aromatic than the larger varieties. You can find out more about the Hokkaido pumpkin here.

Pumpkin varieties: Jack be Little

Pumpkin varieties: Jack be Little

Jack be Little is very decorative, the fruits weigh 150 to 300 grams and have a firm, orange-colored flesh, that also tastes good raw. When cooked, this pumpkin also has the aroma of chestnuts. Sweet Dumpling and Jack be Little belong to the mini garden pumpkins and are often also offered as edible decorative pumpkins.

Pumpkin varieties: the nutmeg pumpkin

Pumpkin varieties: nutmeg pumpkin

Nutmeg Pumpkin, also Muscade de Provence, weighs up to 20 kilograms and is heavily ribbed. It tastes good very juicy and aromatic. The pulp can also be eaten raw, cooked it is used as a vegetable or in fillings. You can find out more about the nutmeg squash here.

Pumpkin varieties: patisson

Pumpkin varieties: patisson

Patissons, in the photo a patisson blanc, also called UFO, courgette or squash. The skin of the young fruits is soft and thin, with older fruits it becomes hard. Patissons blancs come with a Diameter of 10 to 20 centimeters and a weight of 500 to 1000 grams harvested. The other types of patisson taste best when young and small (mini patissons), they are even eaten with the shell and seeds, for example pickled.

Pumpkin varieties: the spaghetti pumpkin

Pumpkin varieties: spaghetti squash

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Spaghetti squash can be recognized by their oval-round, elongated shape and their color, which can vary between creamy yellow and deep sun yellow. You can up to two kilograms in weight become. What makes it special: After baking, the pulp frays into the spaghetti, from which it owes its name. You can find out more about the spaghetti squash here.

Pumpkin varieties: Sweet Dumpling

Pumpkin varieties: Sweet Dumpling

Sweet dumpling, also called Patidou, comes from Mexico. The fruits are 300 to 600 grams in weight and taste sweet and very aromatic like chestnuts, especially if they are cooked whole. The flesh is firm and crisp.

All pumpkin varieties have this in common

Pumpkin used to be considered poor people's food or was used straight away as fodder – fortunately that has changed. Because pumpkin meat not only tastes very good, it also contains a lot valuable ingredients such as potassium, calcium, zinc and vitamins from groups A, C, D and E.. Reason enough to bring it to the table more often.

You can recognize a ripe pumpkin by the fact that it sounds hollow when you tap it. If it has an intact shell, it can be used store in a damp cellar for weeks or even months. Cut pumpkins can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. One kilo of pumpkin produces around 600 to 700 grams of pulp during preparation. We explain how you can prepare pumpkin and clarify the question of whether you can eat pumpkin raw.

Here are the best recipes with pumpkin from the BRIGITTE test kitchen and we tell you how you can hollow out a pumpkin and freeze it. With us you will also find information about the different types of apples, asparagus, cabbage and tomato varieties.

Video tip: Peel and cut the pumpkin – this is how it works