Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Vegetable, Vines
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Number of Varieties
408
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-91-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm609.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Early Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
prune leaves so as to circulate fresh air, Remove Vines
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Gray leaf blight, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Beetles, Bugs
Allergy
Asthma
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Swelling in the face
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
CUCURBITA moschata 'Long Island Cheese'
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Winter Pumpkin
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
चीनी कद्दू
In German
Kracher penstemon
chinesisch Kürbis
In French
Firecracker penstemon
potiron chinois
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
calabaza china
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
κινέζικο κολοκύθα
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
abóbora chinês
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Chiński dyni
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Chinese cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
2509
1
27800
👆🏻