Cucurbits
Genus:	Cucurbita
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Type:	Vines
Pollination:	Insects

Cucurbita is a genus in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. It includes species grown for their fruit and edible seeds (the squashes, pumpkins and marrows, and the chilacayote), as well as gourds. Many North and Central American species are visited by specialist bees in the group Eucerini, especially the genera Peponapis and Xenoglossa, and these bees can be very important for fruit set.

Description

Vines, sometimes short, with large palmate leaves and tendrils. The flowers are large, orange, and unisexual, with both genders usually occurring on each plant. Fruits are large fleshy berries called pepos.

Growing conditions

Full sun, rich, moist, but well-drained soils.

Species

• Cucurbita digitata - fingerleaf gourd
• Cucurbita ficifolia - figleaf gourd, chilacayote
• Cucurbita foetidissima - stinking gourd, buffalo gourd
• Cucurbita maxima - winter squash, pumpkin
• Cucurbita mixta - pumpkin
• Cucurbita moschata - butternut squash, "dickinson" pumpkin
• Cucurbita okeechobeensis
• Cucurbita palmata
• Cucurbita pepo - acorn squash, field pumpkin, yellow summer squash, zucchini

Maintenance

Monitoring for pests and diseases is crucial.

Propagation

By seed.

Pests and Diseases

Bacterial Wilt

Blight

• Sclerotium rolfsii
• Phytophthora

Powdery Mildew

• Erisyphe cichoracearum
• Sphaerotheca fuliginea

Cucurbit Downy Mildew

• Pseudoperonospora cubensis

Cucumber Scab

• Cladosporium cucumerinum

Mosaic

• Cucumber Mosaic Virus

Aphids

• Melon Aphid: Aphis gossypii

Hoppers

• Potato Leafhopper: Empoasca fabae
• Hopper: Empoasca recurvata

Whiteflies

• Silverleaf Whitefly: Bemesia argentifolii

Bugs

• Squash Bug: Anasa tristis
• Tarnished Plant Bug: Lygus lineolaris
• Fourlined Plant Bug: Poecilocapsus lineatus

Thrips

• Melon Thrips: Thrips palmi
• Onion Thrips: Thrips tabaci
• Western Flower Thrips: Frankliniella occidentalis

Maggots

• Pea Leafminer: Liriomyza huidobrensis
• Vegetable Leafminer: Liriomyza sativae
• American Serpentine Leafminer: Liriomyza trifolii
• Seedcorn Maggot: Delia platura

Beetles

• Spotted Cucumber Beetle: Diabrotica duodecimipuncta
• Striped Cucumber Beetle: Acalymma vittata
• Western Spotted Cucumber Beetle: Diabrotica undecimipunctata
• Western Striped Cucumber Beetle: Acalymma trivittata
• Fourspotted Sap Beetle: Glischrochilus quadrisignatus
• Dusky Sap Beetle: Carpophilus lugubri
• Northern Corn Rootworm: Diabrotica barberi
• Squash Beetle: Epilachea borealis
• Western Corn Rootworm: Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

Caterpillars

• Turnip Moth: Agrotis segetum
• Granulate Cutworm: Agrostis subterranea
• Melonworm: Diaphania hyalinata
• Pickleworm: Diaphania nitidalis
• Moth: Hypercompe indecisa (Europe)
• Cabbage Moth: Mamestra brassicae (Europe)
• Squash Vine Borer: Melittia cucurbitae
• Southern Armyworm: Spodoptera eridania
• Beet Armyworm: Spodoptera exigua

References

• ITIS
• Cranshaw, Whitney (2004). Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs. Princeton University Press. pp. 590–591. 
• Pippa Greenwood, Andrew Halstead, A.R. Chase, Daniel Gilrein (2000). American Horticultural Society Pests & Diseases: The Complete Guide to Preventing, Identifying, and Treating Plant Problems (First Edition ed.). Dorling Kindersley (DK) Publishing, inc.. pp. 120–121.