Decorative pumpkin: photos and names

Decorative pumpkin is a real decoration of the garden. With its help, arches, arbors, walls are decorated, flower beds, flowerpots, verandas are ennobled. The article presents popular decorative pumpkin varieties with photos and descriptions that will help you evaluate the variety of colors, sizes, shapes and choose the best option for your site.

Why grow a decorative pumpkin

Ornamental varieties of pumpkins are becoming increasingly popular among gardeners. Neat, beautiful, bright, diverse in shape and color, plants are planted to decorate the garden, decorate gazebos, and form unusual flower beds. Ripened and dried fruits, varnished or painted, serve as the basis for design work. Vases, caskets, candlesticks, various vessels are cut out of them.

In addition, gardeners appreciate the agrotechnical characteristics of ornamental pumpkins:

1. Ease of growing. To obtain dense greenery and bright fruits, the culture needs timely watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil. The green cover is formed naturally, does not require shaping, cutting, pinching.
2. High growth rate. Pumpkin lash reaches 5 m within a month after landing in open ground, which allows it to be used for vertical framing of fences, arbors, walls. Then active flowering and fruit growth begins.
3. Shape stability. Decorative varieties of pumpkins retain their size, shape, and color until late autumn.

Summer residents are also attracted by large, bright flowers that densely dot lashes during the growing season.

Description of decorative pumpkin

Ornamental pumpkins are annual climbing gourds, bred by pollinating ordinary large-fruited varieties and crossing them with zucchini, squash, zucchini.

The shoots of ornamental pumpkins are thinner and weaker than those of dining pumpkins, but they grow very quickly: they stretch up to 4–5 m per season. The leaf cover is denser, denser, due to the greater number of lateral shoots. The color of the greens varies from emerald green to pale green.

Bush varieties of ornamental pumpkins are less common. Plants are planted in flower beds, flower beds, alpine slides, flowerpots, terraces and garden alleys are decorated with them.

The flowering period of decorative varieties of pumpkins falls on June. The inflorescences of the culture are velvety: large, bright yellow, sometimes pale or white.

From mid-July, the first fruits are formed. Depending on the variety of pumpkin, they can be:

• round, pear-shaped, crown-shaped, flattened, bottle-shaped, elongated, turban-shaped, star-shaped;
• yellow, orange, white, red, green, striped, two- or three-color, spotted, variegated;
• with smooth, ribbed, pimply, bumpy skin.

Varieties of decorative pumpkin

Breeders have bred more than 100 varieties of mini-pumpkins. They differ in color, shape, size. You can evaluate all the varietal variety of decorative pumpkins from the photo.

Swan

Decorative pumpkin Swan is one of the varieties of lagenaria. Scourge plants are fast-growing with rounded, large leaves. The culture is demanding for heat, light, watering. It is better to plant it with seedlings when the air and soil warm up to 17 – 20 degrees.

Of interest are the fruits of the pumpkin, similar to swans with sophisticated curved necks. The peel of such decorative fruits is dense, dark green with white speckles.

The variety is characterized as fast growing. Subject to all the requirements of agricultural technology, 8-12 fruits can be harvested from one ornamental bush per season.

Pear-shaped, or pear

The fruits of the pear-shaped decorative pumpkin grow up to 12 – 18 cm in diameter. Their colors are varied. There are yellow, cream, white, red, green, orange varieties.

Two-tone, variegated or striped decorative pear pumpkins with a clearly drawn transverse border (Klein bicolour) look beautiful on the site.

This subgroup also includes the Texas variety with large, pear-shaped watermelon-like fruits. Their colors are dark green with yellow, forming a background on which light transverse stripes are superimposed.

Crown

Variety of decorative pumpkin Crown – one of the most spectacular and unusual. Its bright yellow or yellow-green fruits rarely grow more than 12 – 15 cm in diameter. They are star-shaped, umbrella-shaped, crown-shaped.

Pumpkin stalks are ribbed, grow to 3 – 4 m in length, ideal for the formation of hedges, arches. The leaves have a deep, rich emerald hue, favorably shading single large flowers.

Fango

Fango squash is a fast-growing cultivar with wrinkled spiny leaves and large, white, funnel-shaped flowers. Ripe fruits look very attractive, resembling colorful mushroom caps.

For proper growth and a good harvest, Fango pumpkin is planted in sunny areas. It is thermophilic, does not tolerate cooling or drying out of the soil.

Shoots are used for vertical gardening of verandas or gazebos, and various decorative compositions are made from fruits.

Borovichok

Decorative pumpkin Borovichok belongs to the chalmoid varieties. Its fruits are shaped like a mushroom with a large red cap and a thick light leg. Such an interesting feature is actively used for decorating autumn compositions, children’s creativity, and rustic-style room design.

The flowers of the plant are large, white, funnel-shaped. They appear at the beginning of June. Active flowering lasts about a month.

Borovichok – prefers sunny, warm, fertile areas. For successful seed germination, the soil temperature should not fall below 20 degrees. The plant actively responds to fertilization, timely watering, weeding and loosening.

The variety is suitable for horizontal and vertical decoration of flower beds, flower beds, hedges, arches, country flowerpots.

actress

Pumpkin decorative Artistka is a mixture of small varieties, different in terms of ripening, appearance, color, shape.

The whips are fast-growing, reaching 4 m in a season. With sufficient timely watering and top dressing, they form lush greenery.

In June – July, the plant is covered with yellow large flowers, in place of which small (about 200-400 g) pumpkins appear over time.

The variety is planted for vertical gardening, masking unsightly walls, decorating openings.

Indie

Decorative pumpkin Indy – a mixture of pear-shaped varieties of various shapes, sizes, colors.

The whips of this species are long, cling well to the support, and actively grow. The fruits quickly gain weight, they may need additional support.

Scheherazade stars

The color of the fruits of the decorative pumpkin Shahrazade star is varied. They are yellow, white, milky, green, two-tone, striped or speckled. Pumpkin diameter does not exceed 10 cm.

Scheherazade belongs to the subgroup of star gourds. Its shape is flattened, oblong, resembling a patisson – with more pointed, elongated edges.

The variety is suitable for vertical growth.

Laguaria

Lagenaria is the original name for a large group of decorative pumpkins that have a variety of elongated, elongated shapes.

The variety is suitable for vertical decoration, the lashes grow very quickly. In July, pale pink or white large flowers on long stems appear on them.

The shape of the decorative pumpkin fruit is varied, which can be seen from the photo.

The peel of pumpkins is very hard, which makes it possible to use these vegetables for making dishes: jugs, decanters, bottles with a narrow neck and a stable base.

Lagenaria can be eaten. This applies to young shoots no more than 30 – 40 cm long.

The variety can be grown in open ground, in a greenhouse, on a balcony or loggia.

Bottled

Bottle gourds are a large subgroup of ornamental gourds with a narrow, elongated top and a rounded bottom. The fruits in shape may resemble a jug, a swan, a mace.

Another name for the variety is utensil or gourd. Since ancient times, light, durable, eco-friendly utensils have been obtained from dried, peeled vegetables: bottles, flasks, jugs.

Mandarin

The fruits of the mini-pumpkin of the Mandarin variety are small, about 5-7 cm in diameter, rounded, bright orange in color. In appearance, they are similar to the fruit of the same name. The foliage of the plant is a rich emerald hue.

The variety is suitable for cooking, but is more often used as a mini-pot, original bowl or cocotte maker.

Fungus

Refers to turban gourds. The upper part of the vegetable is massive, its color is rich orange, red, green. The lower half is smaller, with a white, pale green, speckled color. In appearance, color, ripening time, the culture resembles the Borovichok variety.

The fungus is recognized as the most frost- and drought-resistant variety, it is not susceptible to diseases. The pulp of pumpkin has a fibrous and watery structure, it has a bitter aftertaste.

Is it possible to eat a decorative pumpkin

Small-fruited pumpkin is most often grown for decorative purposes, to decorate a personal plot. The pulp of such fruits is also watery, dense, hard, and tasteless when cooked.

However, some of this variety of decorative pumpkin can be eaten, they are suitable for cooking, they have good taste.

It is important to remember that only young vegetables are suitable for food, the peel of which has not had time to harden. In cooking, they are most often used as fragrant, edible pots for roasting meat, fish, and poultry.

How to dry a whole pumpkin for decoration

Before using a pumpkin to compose a composition or make crafts, it must be properly and efficiently dried.

To do this, choose ripe, intact fruits with a dried, brown stalk. It is important to have time to harvest before the first frost, otherwise the vegetable will not be stored for a long time and will eventually rot.

The algorithm for how to properly dry a whole pumpkin:

1. The collected fruits should be washed well in warm water with soap or baking soda.
2. After laying them out in a single layer in a warm, ventilated room so that direct sunlight does not fall on them.
3. Vegetables should be periodically turned over to the other side, while rejecting low-quality, rotting specimens.
4. After a week, the top layer of the peel will dry out. Pumpkins are transferred to a dark room with good ventilation. If this is not possible, a place under the bed or in the closet will do. The fruits are placed on the grate at some distance from each other or hung, providing air flow from all sides.
5. Once a week, the pumpkins are turned over, watching for the appearance of rot or mold.

The process is lengthy, it can take 3-6 months, depending on the variety. If, when shaking the fruit, you can clearly hear how the seeds “rattle” inside, this is a sign that the pumpkin has already dried out.

Planting and caring for decorative pumpkin

Planting and caring for a decorative pumpkin does not require special knowledge; even a novice amateur gardener can handle it.

Where, when and how to plant a decorative pumpkin

Decorative varieties love sunny, well-warmed areas with fertile, loose soil. The best predecessors that increase the yield of pumpkins are legumes, cabbage, beets, onions, and carrots. And on the contrary, potatoes, cucumbers or any melons deplete the soil, draw out minerals necessary for the full growth of pumpkins. In such areas, decorative varieties should not be planted.

Neighborhood with other crops also affects the yield and formation of foliage. So, for example, spinach, beans, onions, peas attract pests that interfere with the growth of shoots.

In the southern regions and the middle lane, the seeds are planted in open ground to a depth of 8 cm. The distance between the roots should be at least 25 – 30 cm. The optimal time for planting is May-early June, when the average daily temperature is not lower than 14 degrees.

To get a crop, the seeds need to be prepared. For this:

1. The planting material is placed in water for several minutes, the floating seeds are removed: they are unsuitable for cultivation.
2. The remaining seeds are wrapped in gauze, soaked for 2 hours in a manganese solution to disinfect and prevent bacterial diseases of the plant.
3. Then the seed is washed and dried.

To speed up germination, the seeds are germinated: wrapped in gauze or flannel, poured with warm water, left for two days. The main thing is to provide constant moisture to the seeds. After the emergence of seedlings, seedlings can be taken out into the holes.

In northern latitudes, it is preferable to plant pumpkins in seedlings, for this:

1. In small pots (diameter 15 – 20 cm) one seed is placed. The pots are moistened, put in a bright place under the covering material.
2. After germination, they carefully monitor the temperature regime, water the soil with warm water, periodically feed it (for 10 liters of water: 20 g of superphosphate, potassium sulfide, 1 liter of mullein).
3. Young shoots are transferred to a permanent place a month after germination, when the plant has 5 true leaves.
4. 2 weeks before planting in open ground, the seedlings are hardened – they are taken out to the veranda, to the street, left overnight with an open window.
5. Seedlings are planted in holes 10–12 cm deep. Before that, fertilizers (3 tablespoons of ash, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate) must be applied, moistened with warm water.
6. Seedlings are sprinkled with fertile soil, mulched with peat or sawdust.

When choosing a place for planting a decorative pumpkin, it is necessary to provide for the installation of a high-quality, strong support. Suitable metal or wooden stable structures. Plastic or bamboo will not support the weight of the fruit.

Growing decorative gourds

Even a beginner, inexperienced summer resident will cope with the cultivation of decorative varieties of pumpkin.

For rapid growth, flowering, the formation of full-fledged fruits, the plant needs a lot of sun, abundant watering, and periodic application of organic additives to the soil.

Seeds or sprouted young shoots of pumpkins are planted in open, fertile, well-warmed areas. Complex organic additives are added to the hole during planting, as well as 14 days after it. The next top dressing is carried out during the formation of the ovaries. The soil must be mulched with sawdust, dry humus. Further care for a decorative pumpkin consists in timely moisturizing as the soil dries, and its loosening.

During flowering and the formation of ovaries, the plant is watered 1 time in 3 days. During fruit ripening – once every 5 days. Use warm, settled water for this.

The next day after watering, the earth is loosened, weeds are removed.

As soon as the main stem of the plant reaches a meter in length, it is pinched in order to form lush side shoots.

Scourges of a decorative pumpkin easily cling to a support. With growth, an increase in the mass of leaves and fruits, additional reinforcements and a garter may be required.

To preserve young shoots in spring and extend the fruiting period in autumn, experienced gardeners recommend using covering material.

Pests and diseases

Pumpkin is an unpretentious crop that is resistant to pests and diseases.

With improper care, waterlogging, general infection of the site, decorative varieties face the same damage as all melon species:

1. Mučnistaâ rosa – a dense white coating on shoots and leaves, which tends to inhibit growth, spoil ovaries and fruits. It occurs with a lack of lighting, sudden changes in temperature. To eliminate it, special preparations are used.

   

2. root rot (white rot) – the disease is caused by soil parasitic fungi that affect the root system of ornamental pumpkins. The plant usually dies. As a preventive measure, before planting, the seeds are soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then the root hole is sprinkled with humus or peat.

   

3. Bacterial rot – forms brownish spots on stems or leaves, appearing from excessive moisture, frequent abundant watering. Damaged areas of the plant are treated with 1% bardo liquid.

   

4. Slugs – affect the plant during the rainy period, causing significant damage to the leaves, shoots, pumpkin fruits. Scattered ash and slaked lime (1:1) helps get rid of them.

   

If signs of infection are detected, spoiled stems, leaves, fruits or the entire plant are destroyed, and the site is treated with appropriate insecticides.

Conclusion

A decorative pumpkin with an unusual appearance will help to ennoble the design of a personal plot, while adding bright colors to it. Unpretentious, resistant to diseases and pests, the plant will not cause trouble even for inexperienced gardeners.