Zucchini is a popular type of summer squash and is grown as a summer vegetable for its tender, edible long fruits. It is the most popular, widely grown and economically important summer squash vegetable. Scientific name of zucchini is Cucurbita pepo. It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Zucchini is also called as courgette.
Varieties: There are open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of zucchini available in the market. In terms of color, there are green-colored and yellow or golden-colored zucchini fruits.
Open Pollinated Zucchini Varieties: Major open pollinated zucchini varieties are Black Zucchini, Black Beauty, Cocozelle, White Bush, Yellow Summer Crookneck, and Yellow Straightneck . A detailed account of these varieties is given below:
- Black Zucchini: It is one of the best known summer squash vegetables available. Its fruits are with greenish black skin, and white flesh.
- Black Beauty: These zucchini is slender, with slight ridges, and with a dark black-green colour.
- Cocozelle: It is a dark-green coloured variety with light green stripes. Its fruits are long, and very slender.
- White Bush: The fruits are creamy greenish in color with oblong shape.
- Yellow Summer Crookneck: It is a classic open-pollinated variety. Fruits are with crookneck or curved neck and warted. It is a heavy yielding variety.
- Yellow Straightneck: It is standard open-pollinated variety. Fruits are with straightneck and with a light creamish color. This zucchini variety has very attractive straight fruits.
Hybrid Varieties of Zucchini: Major hybrid varieties of zucchini are Aristocrat, Chefini, Classic, Elite, Embassy, President, Spineless Beauty, Gold Rush, Scallopini, Peter Pan, Sundance, and Sunburst. A detailed account of these varieties is given below:
- Aristocrat: It is a popular variety in Tropical Americas. Fruits are waxy and medium green in colour.
- Chefini: It is a popular variety in Tropical Americas. Fruits are glossy and medium dark green in colour.
- Classic: This is a compact variety that grows into an open bush. Fruits are medium green in colour.
- Elite: Fruits are medium green in colour with a lustrous sheen. It is an early variety.
- Embassy: It is a high yielding variety with medium green coloured fruits.
- President: It is a dark green variety with light green flecks. It is an upright plant.
- Spineless Beauty: Fruits are medium dark green with spineless petioles.
- Gold Rush: It is also a popular variety in America. Fruits are with deep gold color and curved necks. These zucchini fruits are of superior quality.
- Sundance: It is a hybrid variety and early-bearing. Fruits are bright yellow with a smooth skin.
- Goldbar: It is a hybrid variety with an upright stem. Fruits are golden yellow in colour.
- White Bush Scallop: Fruits are very pale green when immature, and very tender.
- Peter Pan: It is a hybrid variety of zucchini with light green colored fruits.
- Scallopini: It is another hybrid variety of zucchini that is popular in America.
- Sunburst: A hybrid zucchini plant with bright yellow, green spot at the blossom end
Other Popular Varieties of Zucchini: There are other varieties of zucchini also available in the market. Major among these are Butter Blossom, Gourmet Globe, and Sun Drops. A detailed account of these varieties is given below:
- Butter Blossom: It is an open-pollinated variety selected for its large, firm male blossoms. Fruit may be harvested like summer squash, but female blossoms must be removed as and when they appear for the largest supply of male blossoms.
- Gourmet Globe: It is a hybrid variety with globe-shaped, dark green fruits which are with light stripes. It is one of the delicious zucchini varieties.
- Sun Drops: It is a hybrid variety of zucchini with creamy yellow fruits that are having a unique oval shape. Fruits may be harvested as ‘baby zucchinis’ with blossoms attached
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