VegetableSquash
Zucca De Lungo Verde Squash
Zucca de Lungo Verde is an Italian heirloom squash that delivers dark green fruits about 8 inches long with remarkably rich flavor and color. This open-pollinated cultivar matures in just 50 to 59 days, making it one of the faster squash varieties to harvest. Growing 24 to 30 inches tall and thriving across hardiness zones 3 to 13, it adapts to most North American climates and produces abundantly with full sun and moderate water.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
Spacing
48
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
The deep, dark green color and concentrated flavor set this variety apart from common summer squashes. Seed catalogs emphasize its exceptional richness, a quality that develops from traditional Italian seed stock preserved through generations of open-pollinated growing. At 50 to 60 days from seed to harvest, you're looking at one of the quickest paths from planting to dinner, yet the taste doesn't reflect any hurrying.
Common Uses
These squash are harvested young at around 8 inches and used fresh in summer cooking, whether sliced and sautéed, grilled, or incorporated into pasta dishes and vegetable medleys. The tender flesh and rich flavor lend themselves well to simple preparations that let the squash shine without heavy sauces or long cooking times.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors in late spring, typically 3 to 4 weeks before your last frost date, in soil kept between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the final frost has passed and soil has warmed.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Plant out when soil temperature has reached at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and all frost danger has passed. Space plants 48 inches apart to allow adequate room for vine growth.
Direct Sow
In summer, you can sow seeds directly outdoors into warm soil once temperatures consistently stay above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Harvesting
Pick squash when they reach about 8 inches long while the skin is still dark green and glossy. At this stage, the flesh is most tender and the flavor most concentrated. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production; leaving mature fruits on the vine slows new flower and fruit development. Cut fruits from the vine with a sharp knife rather than pulling.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucurbita pepo
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Native Status
L48 (NI)PR (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Zucca de Lungo Verde carries the mark of Italian seed heritage, preserved as a non-GMO, open-pollinated heirloom. The variety name itself reveals its regional origin: zucca is Italian for squash, lungo means long, and verde means green. These seeds have been maintained by gardeners and seed savers who recognized the combination of speed and flavor, passing them forward as premium stock valued for both reliability and culinary merit.”