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Pumpkin
Habit (mature) · Joanna Boisse / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo
The classic field pumpkin — a sprawling annual vine of the squash family, domesticated in Mexico and grown the world over for its large ribbed orange fruit. Big yellow showy flowers give way to winter squash that, unlike summer types, is harvested fully mature after a long season (often 100+ days). Prickly stems, conspicuously lobed leaves, and a heavy appetite for fertile soil, full sun, and room to run.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (63/100)
Edible
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
12-30" tall · 42" apart
Hardy in zones
2a-11b
brutally cold to nearly frost-free winters
Summer heat range
Mild-Hot
mild to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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Moisture retention
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Seed starting
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Plant support
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A documented larval host for the Squash bee — specialist wildlife that depend on plants like this to reproduce.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/pumpkin
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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