Pumpkin Rouge Vif d'Etampes - Cucurbita maxima

Cucurbita maxima 'Rouge Vif d'Etampes' is a trailing variety with large, spherical, bright red fruits. They are flat or even incurved, ribbed and often bumpy. The flesh is thick, yellow-orange, tender, and juicy. The yield of this pumpkin is 1 to 4 fruits per plant (30 to 50cm (12 to 20in), 8 to 10kg).

It originates from the town of Etampes in Essonne, and is the most cultivated variety in France. It was introduced to France around the middle of the 19th century.

Pumpkins and squash belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and the species Cucurbita maxima. This annual herbaceous plant has long, vigorous, trailing or climbing stems with strong tendrils. Each plant has separate male and female flowers, making it monoecious. The female flowers produce the fruits once fertilised by the pollen from the male flowers.

They come in many shapes and colours, from large ribbed fruits with orange or red skin and orange flesh, to oblong shapes, pear shapes, or "Turkish hat" shapes. Originating from South America, this species is believed to have been introduced to Europe in the 16th or 17th century, along with its cousins, other species of Cucurbita. They are often mistakenly called "pumpkins" even though they belong to a different species, Cucurbita pepo, with stringy flesh and a hard, fibrous stem. Pumpkins, on the other hand, have sweet, flavourful flesh that is less stringy, with a tender and spongy stem.

Pumpkins are rich in vitamins and trace elements, low in calories, high in potassium, and have antioxidant properties.

Harvesting and Storage

Harvest as late as possible, but before the first frost arrives. Keep a piece of stem attached to the fruit. Store them in a temperate room (10 to 15°C (50 to 59°F)), ensuring they do not touch each other. They can be stored for a few months to a year.

Gardener's Tips

You can bury the stems at the nodes to encourage rooting.

To save space and protect your fruits from rot, you can grow pumpkins on supports such as a trellis or sturdy stakes.

During fruit ripening, you can place a tile or brick, for example, between the ground and the fruit to isolate it and limit premature rotting. A thick mulch will also do the trick.