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Cucurbita cylindrata

Cucurbita cylindrata is a wild perennial squash relative from the dry deserts of Baja California Sur, Mexico, where it grows in hot, arid, gravelly ground. It is a desert native that needs very sharp drainage and very little water, and it is rarely grown as a garden plant.

Family
Cucurbitaceae (Gourd family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun
Water
Water sparingly and let the soil dry out fully between waterings; it is drought tolerant.
Soil
Loose, gravelly, very well-drained soil or sandy mix.
Temperature
Hot desert conditions; protect from frost.
How easy
Moderate
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
Mexico (Baja California Sur)
Climate
desert or dry shrubland

About

Cucurbita cylindrata is a species of flowering plant in the squash family. It is similar to Cucurbita californica, Cucurbita cordata, Cucurbita digitata, and Cucurbita palmata and all these species hybridize readily. These species form the only restricted xerophyte species group in the genus Cucurbita. Each member of this species group is native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico where they are relatively uncommon. Each group member is found in hot, arid regions with low rainfall. They prefer soil that is loose, gravelly, and well-drained. C. cylindrata is found only in the middle portion of Baja California, mostly in Baja California Sur. Botanists Bemis and Whitaker suggest that C. cordata and C. cylindrata may be a case of sympatric speciation. The juvenile leaves of C. cylindrata, C. cordata, C. digitata, and C.

Other Cucurbita plants

Japanese Pie Pumpkin · Coyote Melon · Coyote Gourd · Fingerleaf gourd · Ecuadorian Squash · Figleaf gourd · Missouri gourd · Cucurbita galeottii · Bitter Pumpkin · Marten Gourd · Jarrahdale pumpkin · Winter squash

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cucurbita cylindrata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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