VegetableSquash
Pilgrim Squash
Pilgrim is a compact butternut squash hybrid that brings reliable harvests to gardens across zones 3-13, maturing in just 80-89 days. These uniform, 9-by-3-inch fruits weigh around 3 pounds each and pack thick, meaty necks filled with rich, buttery, nutty flesh. The plant's bush habit and excellent crack resistance make it a workhorse in the garden, thriving in containers, raised beds, and traditional plots alike. This F1 hybrid was bred to perform under a wide range of conditions while delivering the flavor you'd expect from a butternut without the sprawling vine mess.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam, Rich Organic Matter
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
TypeSpreading
Spacing
36
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The standout feature of Pilgrim is its combination of compact size and serious productivity. A bush-habit plant that doesn't demand sprawling garden space, it produces uniform, 3-pound fruits with thick necks and the sweet, nutty character butternut lovers crave. The exceptional crack resistance sets it apart from many other winter squash varieties, and it performs reliably even when growing conditions aren't perfect, making it genuinely useful for real-world gardens rather than ideal ones.
Common Uses
Pilgrim squash is prepared and eaten like other winter squash, prized for roasting, pureeing into soups, or using in baked goods and side dishes that showcase its naturally sweet, nutty character. The thick necks and dense flesh make it excellent for stuffing or cutting into chunks for sheet pan roasting. The 3-pound size is convenient for smaller households or those without a root cellar full of storage space.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds into warm soil after the last frost date has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Push seeds down to the appropriate depth and keep soil consistently moist until germination.
Harvesting
Harvest Pilgrim squash 80-89 days after planting, once the skin has fully hardened and turned a tan or buff color that resists puncturing with a fingernail. Cut fruits from the vine with a few inches of stem attached rather than pulling them off. The squash can be harvested at full maturity or slightly earlier if needed, and they continue to cure and improve in storage after picking.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucurbita moschata
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Pilgrim was developed as an F1 hybrid, engineered to bring together the best traits of butternut squash: the rich flavor and meaty structure of Cucurbita moschata combined with a compact, manageable plant habit and exceptional uniformity in fruit size and shape. Rather than a heritage variety with centuries of tradition, this is a modern breeding achievement designed to solve practical problems for both home and commercial growers, particularly the challenge of fitting productive butternut plants into smaller spaces.”