Green Gold Squash

 Curcubita pepo

Seeds per pack ~ 20

Germination: 93% Oct 2024 Packed for 2025

Throughout the Northeast, Central, Midwest, and Northern Plains, the Buttercup squash quickly rose in fame after its release in 1932. But, like many well-bred open pollinated varieties, seed stocks of Buttercup "threw" variations, allowing other farmers and breeders a chance to adapt something even better.

"Greengold" winter squash was derived from saucer-shaped orange-rinded variants, bred forward by the Minnesota Experiment Station and released in 1939. As the name suggests, the skin is a deep orange base streaked with green. Fruits exposed to more sun will be more full orange, while those more hidden by squash foliage will have more green streaks. The flesh is sweet & deep orange, and much more dry in texture than then sticky smooth Buttercup; nearly a Kabocha type in quality! Expect 4 to 6 fruits per plant, with an average weight of 3 to 4 pounds.

Another unique characteristic of Greengold for today's eaters and gardeners is the hard skin of this now very rare variety. While nowhere near as impervious as a bomb-proof Hubbard, Greengold's thin rind defends against deer, mice, light early frosts, and rough handling at harvest. While giving way quickly to a sharp knife, this hard-shell helps Greengold keep much longer than its Buttercup parent. In 2004, seed saver Heron Breen received a small seed sample from the "deep freeze" collection of the USDA seedback at Fort Collins, Colorado.

Greengold winter squash had been long forgotten for no good reason. After years of careful seed increases, Heron is pleased to make this variety available again to the public through the Ujaama Cooperative. Please note: In 1939, Greengold occasionally "threw" its own variations, notably a very tasty small green squash (similar to Buttercup but better!). And it still "throws" these treasures in about 1 in 60 plants! Another opportunity for today's gardeners and farmers to create a new tasty treat! Roughly 90 days to maturity.