Plant Calculator
Enter the approximate length and width of the area you will be planting and click 'Calculate' to determine how many Cucurbita maxima 'Cucuzza' you will need.
*Correct and successful spacing is complex and depends on project conditions.
Cucurbita maxima 'Cucuzza'
Squash, Cucuzza
Cucuzza (or as we third-generation Italian Americans call it "GAGOOTZ"!!!) is an elongated Sicilian bottle gourd that predates Zucchini in Italy. Its taste is similar to a sweet summer squash and is an edible gourd that can grow three feet long. Cucuzza squash has light green skin and can be prepared as you would any summer squash. Louis Prima even sang of this wonderful squash, search for "My Cucuzza" on YouTube. Zucchini is a diminutive version of Zucca, which was first used to describe Cucuzza, which isa southern Italian interpretation of Cucurbita, the Latin word for squash, cucumbers, and gourds.
- Long bottle gourd squash used in Mediterranean cooking
- Mild delicate flavor when harvested young
- Vigorous vines produce very long fruits
- Excellent stuffed, stewed, or sautéed
- Category: Vegetables
- Hardiness Zone: 10-11
- Height: 12-24 in
- Spread: 120-180 in
- Spacing: 72 in
- Temperature: 55 to 95°F
Soil Moisture
| • | Keep Well-Watered |
Growing & Maintenance Tips for Cucurbita maxima 'Cucuzza'
Squash and pumpkins need full sun, fertile soil, and plenty of space. Water deeply at the base, mulch to reduce splash, and watch early for squash vine borers and cucumber beetles. Harvest winter types only after rinds harden fully.