Caserta is a bush zucchini that earned its place in gardens across America when it won the All America Selections award in 1949, and it remains a beloved heirloom in Italy where gardeners prize its rich, full flavor and tender flesh even at larger sizes. The fruit grows slightly club-shaped with striking mottled striping that blends olive green and darker green tones, reaching 6 to 8 inches long and maturing in 50 to 60 days. This early-season variety thrives in full sun and needs just 24 inches of spacing, making it efficient for even modest garden plots. Its proven ability to stay tender and delicious despite growing quite large sets it apart from many modern zucchini selections.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
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An All America Selections winner from 1949, this Italian favorite combines exceptional flavor with a forgiving nature that makes it rewarding even for newer gardeners. The mottled olive-green coloring catches the eye, while the plant's compact bush habit keeps it manageable without sprawling across the garden. Caserta can grow surprisingly large and still deliver the tender, full-flavored flesh that Italian cooks have treasured for generations, giving you both speed (ready in 50 to 60 days) and quality in one package.
Caserta shines in any preparation where zucchini's flavor takes center stage. Its tender flesh and rich taste make it excellent for sautéing with garlic and olive oil, grilling, roasting, or incorporating into pasta dishes and risottos where a quality summer squash elevates the entire dish. The fact that it remains tender even at larger sizes means you can use it for stuffing or slicing lengthwise for gratins without sacrificing texture.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds directly into warm soil once air temperatures consistently reach 70°F and soil has warmed sufficiently. Plant seeds 1 inch deep, spacing them 24 to 36 inches apart depending on your available space and whether you want a slightly denser planting.
Pick Caserta zucchini when they reach 6 to 8 inches long for the best balance of tenderness and flavor. At this size, the skin is still tender and the seeds are small and underdeveloped. Harvest regularly, every few days once production begins, to encourage the plant to keep setting new fruit. Cut the fruit from the vine with a knife rather than pulling, which can damage the delicate stems.
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“Caserta's story is rooted in Italian agriculture, where cocozelle-type squashes have long held cultural importance. The variety earned recognition when it won the All America Selections award in 1949, a honor that brought it into the spotlight of American home gardeners. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds identifies it as an early bush cocozelle type, linking it to the broader tradition of European summer squashes that favor depth of flavor over sheer production. Its journey from Italian gardens to an All America Selection winner reflects how certain varieties transcend regional boundaries because they simply deliver superior taste and performance.”