If you?re used to getting your jack-o?-lantern from a big-box store or local supermarket, you may have noticed a certain lack of diversity in the selection. Yes, those round orange pumpkins straight out of a Charlie Brown holiday special may be a staple of your childhood Halloween experience, but there are so many other options out there!
This year, why not look for heirloom pumpkins in a wide variety of shapes, colors and sizes? They aren?t all great for jack-o?-lanterns, but the following pumpkins will definitely add interest to your decor (and some make great pies). It?s too late to grow your own this year, but make a note of your favorites and plan to order seed: next year, maybe you can skip the pumpkin patch altogether.
Amish Pie
Image courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange
Originating from an Amish gardener, this squash produces very large fruit: 60-80 pounds. ?One would be enough to feed a whole Amish community,? says Diane Ott Whealy, co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange, who makes her yearly Thanksgiving pies from this pumpkin variety.
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Musquee de Provence?
Image courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange
This cheese?pumpkin ? so named because it looks like a wheel of cheese ? hails from France, and was introduced ?to American gardeners in 1899 by Vaughan?s Seed Store in Chicago. It features a deep orange flesh, and is great for cooking.
Cheronskaya?
Image courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange
This Ukranian heirloom variety offers a rich orange flesh that?s perfect for baking. ?In a 2010 taste test, the staff at Seed Savers Exchange rated it as the sweetest squash they ever tasted. ?Whealy likes to carve this variety for jack-o?-lanterns: ?The orange glow from the carved openings against the pale gray outside shell is perfect.?
Rouge Vif d?Etampes?
Image courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange
Also known as the Cinderella?pumpkin, this French heirloom was introduced in America in 1883 by W. Atlee Burpee. ?While the fruit doesn?t have the best flavor, Whealy grows it for its decorative, fairy-tale quality.
Galeux d?Eysines
Image courtesy of Baker Rare Seeds
This gorgeous squash is particularly suited to Halloween decor ? just look at all those witchy warts! ?This squat, 10-15 pound pumpkin is salmon-colored and is a popular soup pumpkin in France.
Jarrahdale Pumpkin
Image courtesy of Baker Rare Seeds
If you?re hoping to give your Halloween display a burst of unexpected color, the blue-grey Australian Jarrahdale pumpkin is certain to impress. This flat, ribbed pumpkin will grow to about 6-10 pounds and will keep well throughout the season and beyond ? possibly gracing your Thanksgiving table, too.
Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin
Introduced by Johnson & Stokes in 1893, this golden 6-pound fruit with sweet, smooth flesh makes excellent pies: a favorite among the Baker Seeds staff.
Source: http://blog.hgtvgardens.com/great-pumpkins-heirloom-varieties-youll-want-to-know-and-grow/
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