Cucurbita pepo
- Origin
- North America
- Part used
- Flowers
- Tradition
- Traditional ethnobotany
Native to the lands of North America, where it was cultivated by Amerindian peoples millennia before the arrival of Europeans, the squash Cucurbita pepo — whether known as pumpkin, zucchini, or pattypan — was long far more than a simple garden vegetable. Its golden flowers, picked in the early morning, also found their place in the traditional uses of the ancients.
Traditional uses
Flowers eaten as an accompaniment
Squash flowers were traditionally picked fresh to be stuffed, fried, or added to soups, a practice inherited from Amerindian cultures and passed down in many rural cuisines.
A light infusion after meals
A popular use is recorded of an infusion of flowers to aid digestion, drunk warm at the end of a meal, in certain rural North American and Mediterranean traditions.
A traditional soothing use
Some popular traditions describe infused flowers as a gentle, refreshing drink, appreciated in the evening for its delicate taste more than for any particular virtue.
Before you use it
Only use flowers that are well identified, picked from a healthy, untreated plant, removing the pistil or stamen before preparation. The flowers keep for a very short time; prepare and eat them soon after picking. If in doubt about an allergy to the Cucurbitaceae family, avoid eating them or seek the advice of a health professional. This entry is offered for historical and informational purposes; it does not replace a medical consultation.
The detailed notebook
- Prepared as a paste or decoction
- Traditional duration of use
- Known contraindications
- Related species and their uses
Where to find it
Partner herbalists — available with the detailed notebook.
Sources
Wikipedia