Although due care is taken to update prices regularly, this product's price may vary from day-to-day due to weight, availability and size. Related to squash, melon and cucumber Grow on vines Large yellow flowers Prickly leaves Choose firm, bright well coloured pumpkins. Avoid pumpkins which are broken, cracked, have soft spots or excessive scarring to the skin. STORAGE 15°C and 85 - 95% relative humidity. Consumer Storage: If pumpkin is whole, it will store well at room temperature. If pumpkin is cut, remove seeds, wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator crisper. Pumpkin is a very versatile vegetable, being suitable for all types of cooking, both sweet and savoury. As a vegetable in its own right, the pumpkin may be baked, boiled, mashed and roasted. Traditional recipes include pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and pumpkin scones. Small pumpkins are ideal for stuffing with savoury mince or vegetable combinations, topped with cheese and baked. Incorporated into cakes, scones and puddings, pumpkin adds flavour, colour and goodness. Pumpkins require well drained soil. They will not tolerate wet, poorly aerated soil, however, it is desirable that it be capable of retaining moisture. A soil of medium texture is best, but good yields can be produced on heavier and lighter soils if they are properly handled and well fertilised. Pumpkins have large but shallow root systems which grow rapidly and extensively in the upper 15-20 centimetres of soil. The upper layers of the soil should be thoroughly prepared and well fertilised for best results. In general, pumpkins flourish in warm, humid conditions, but they are highly susceptible to hot, dry winds. The pumpkin belongs to the cucurbit family, Curcurbitaceae, together with the squash, cucumber and watermelon. The name appears to come from the Greek “pepon” or “large melon” by way of the French, which converts the word “pepon” to “popon”. This eventually became “Pumpioin” with the ending being converted to “kin” in the American colonies, becoming”pump-kin”. Cucurbita maxima apparently originated in Northern Argentina near the Andes. It was found growing at the time of the Spanish conquest and has only been found elsewhere following introduction by man. Both of the other long vining species, Cucurbita moschate and Cucurbita pepo apparently originated in Mexico and Central America, being carried throughout North America before the coming of white man. The earliest pumpkin material yet discovered came from the Ocampo Caves in Mexico where they are believed to have existed as long ago as 5500 - 7000 B.C.. From America, the pumpkin is believed to have been introduced to Asia and Europe by nomadic tribes.