Perpetual Spinach Question

[Lumpy]

Hello All Wise Ones - daft questions coming....
Is perpetual Spinach a brassica?
What's the differance between a squash and a pumpkin?

[Guest]

Perpetual spinach is related to chard and beetroot. Part of the beet family not brassica

I forget why pumpkins have their name, but they are still a squash. Hopefully a non forgetful, knowledgeable grape will be a long soon

[veggiechicken]

As NG says, Perpetual Spinach is a member of the beet family.

Pumpkins and squashes are Cucurbits Cucurbita - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Greenleaves]

The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon", something round and large.The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word that is used today, "pumpkin".

The term "pumpkin" as it applies to winter squash has different meanings depending on variety and vernacular. In many areas, including North America and the United Kingdom, "pumpkin" traditionally refers to only certain round, orange varieties of winter squash, predominantly derived from Cucurbita pepo, while in Australian English, "pumpkin" can refer to winter squash of any appearance

[Lumpy]

Thank you all - I was finding it quite confusing when seed sellers have two sections, 1 for squah and 1 for pumpkin. I was beginning to wonder if squash = summer and pumpkin = winter

[Fleurisa]

You get summer squash and winter squash!

[nellie-m]

It is confusing. You are not the first to wonder, and won't be the last

It seems all those varieties out there got named without any reference to their botanical classification. Most people seem to think that they are all squashes unless named otherwise

[Kristen]

Perpetual spinach is related to chard and beetroot. Part of the beet family not brassica

Should that be "Leaf beet" rather than Beetroot?

EDIT: Ignore that .. I misread as "named" rather than "related to" ... sorry.

[Two_Sheds]

I was beginning to wonder if squash = summer and pumpkin = winter

That's generally what is meant, yes. Summer eating squash include courgettes, and have thin skins. Winter squash have a thicker skin so they store much longer

Read the plant descriptions in your catalogue for more info on each variety, & harvest times

[Two_Sheds]

I was finding it quite confusing

have you worked out broccoli and calabrese ?

[Lumpy]

Two Sheds - now you are just getting silly Huh!
Fancy me knowing the difference between brocoli and calabrese - I understand quantum mechanics more than I understand veggie growing e.g Schrodinger's Cat but vegetables and their nuances are as they say all greek to me!

[BertieFox]

Interesting given the French origins of the word pumpkin how most now call them 'potiron'. Apparently this word has obscure origins relating to everything from a crude southern medieval word for the backside (poistron) to a type of large mushroom used by Arab or Jewish herbalists. Some French people call them 'citrouille' instead which relates to their yellow, lemon like, colour.

[Lumpy]

Maybe the confusing history comes from not only different types and hybrids of thoses types but also from different vernaculars used in various areas.

[Feral007]

Well, while we're on confusing veg terms, why is a zuchinni oops, I mean courgette, a courgette until it's big and then it's a marrow?

[veggiechicken]

A courgette is a little "courge". S'obvious