Tropical Pumpkin Cultivars
(Cucurbita moschata Duchesne) 

Tropical pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne), also known as calabaza, calabash (English-speaking Caribbean islands), auyama (Dominican Republic), ayote (Central America), or zapallo (South America), is a species of pumpkin that is grown throughout the tropics and subtropics.  Fruit are produced along trailing vines that may spread up to 50 ft. from the crown of the traditional-type plant.  Each plant commonly produces 2 to 5 fruit.  Fruit weight ranges from 5 to 40 lbs.  Tropical pumpkins provide a valuable source of carotenoids that have a major role in nutrition as provitamin A and antioxidants. Carotenoid concentrations in tropical pumpkin compare favorably with those in butternut squash.

Tropical pumpkin varieties developed at the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, an agricultural and natural resources research program of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), are licensed by the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. If your company is interested in licensing tropical pumpkin varieties, please contact Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc.

Fruit of 'La Estrella' (left) and 'El Dorado' (right) in 2003.
(Photo by Frank Mangan, Source:  WorldCrops)

'El Dorado'
Tropical Pumpkin Hybrid


Description:  A high yielding, earlier maturing hybrid with excellent internal flesh color and more fruit per plant than the traditional long-vine tropical pumpkin cultivar.  Fruit is round with green immature rind and buff-colored mature rind.  Plants are more compact than 'La Estrella' plants.  Produces bush-type plants that set one to three fruit at the crown and then develops short runners.  Performs well when provided spacing of 1.4 to 2.2 square meters per plant vs. the usual of at least 3.4 square meters per plant for traditional vining cultivars.  Flesh color of 4.3 (1=light yellow, 5=dark orange).  The compact plant habit permits higher plant populations, easier cultivation, and a more concentrated maturity that better integrates with production systems.  Commonly produces 3-4 fruit per plant.  Fruit weight averages about 6 lbs.  Has performed well in limited trials as far north as Massachusetts.

News and Information:

Where can you obtain seed of 'El Dorado'?
There are no entities licensed to sell seed of 'El Dorado' tropical pumpkin at this time.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license to produce and market seed of this tropical pumpkin hybrid, please contact FFSP.

License Availability:  If your company is interested in obtaining a license to produce and market seed of 'El Dorado', please contact FFSP.

'La Estrella'
Tropical Pumpkin Hybrid

Description:  A compact plant habit, uniform fruit size, and desirable fruit quality.  The compact plant habit permits higher plant populations, easier cultivation, and a more concentrated maturity, which facilitates production.  Fruit is oblate with an immature green pinta pattern rind that becomes buff pinta at maturity.  Fruit matures considerably earlier than 'El Dorado'.  Produces bush-type plants that set one to three fruit at the crown and then develop longer branches where an additional one to three fruit set.  When grown in the northern USA, 'La Estrella' has produced 10 pound fruit in 125 days.  A trial in Connecticut yielded 26 tons/acre.  When grown in Florida in winter months, 'La Estrella' has produced 6 pound fruit in 70 days.  Performs well when provided spacing of 1.4 to 2.2 square meters per plant vs. the usual of at least 3.4 square meters per plant for traditional vining cultivars.  Flesh color of 3.2 (1=light yellow, 5=dark orange). Maturity - 70-125 day; Characteristics - Vine; Fruit Size - 6-10 lbs.  Commonly produces 3-4 fruit per plant.  Fruit weight averages about 6 lbs.  Has performed well in limited trials as far north as Massachusetts.

News and Information:

Where can you obtain seed of 'La Estrella'?
FFSP has exclusively licensed the following entity for the production and sale of seed of the 'La Estrella' tropical pumpkin hybrid:

  • Rupp Seeds, Inc. - 17919 County Road B, Wauseon, OH 43567-9458, Phone: (419) 337-1841, Fax: (419) 337-5491, Website:  Rupp Seeds - La Estrella