A good source of vitamins, fiber and calcium.
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a pear-shaped winter squash that you can bake, simmer, steam and puree. A substantial source of magnesium, calcium and beta-carotene, butternut squash rates high in potassium, fiber, vitamins C and A and low in calories. Many varieties of butternut squash offer the gardener options as to size, shape, weight, maturation time, color, texture, flavor and shelf-life.
Atlas
Atlas F1 Hybrid Butternut Squash produces large uniform fruit, on healthy productive plants. It is less susceptible to diseases and has a long bearing season. Fruit weighs between 5 and 8 lbs. in summer and slightly less in, although well adapted to, cooler seasons. The dark orange flesh is firm, the rind is smooth and it has an excellent shelf life. The Atlas is ideal for both processing and fresh market produce. In a butternut comparison test done by the University of Tennessee Plateau Research and Education Center in 2007, this squash yielded far more fruit than any of other seven varieties tested.
Avalon
Although lower average weight per fruit than the Atlas, the Avalon butternut squash is more uniformly shaped than other butternut squash and has a natural resistance to mildew. It matures in as little as 88 days.
Butternut 401
Butternut 401 fruit averages three pounds and mature in 80 days. It also has resistance to powdery mildew. This new uniform butternut squash grows on a semi-bush and is primarily sold as fresh produce.
Waltham Butternut
The Waltham Butternut squash has a light cream to buff exterior and takes 110 days to mature. This is an heirloom variety, which means that the grower can replant the seeds from its fruit year after year without losing any of its desirable features. Growers send this popular squash to markets as fresh produce and its thick neck and bulb and tough hard rind make it a good candidate for storage.
Argonaut
The burnt orange gigantic Argonaut has a thick extremely long neck and weighs up to 30 lbs. The deep orange flesh has a meaty texture and high sugar content. Although it requires a 140-day growing season, it has a very long shelf life.
Ultra
The Ultra Hybrid Premium matures in 90 days on a vine having a strong canopy and produces large yields. Each fruit has light tan exterior, bright orange, sweet, fine flesh and weighs from 8 to 10 lbs. This butternut squash is especially good for processing.
Quantum
Maturing in 105 days, the Quantum Hybrid has a smooth tan exterior and each 10-inch fruit weighs between 3 and 4 lbs. Because of its exceptionally uniform size and shape, thick neck and small seed cavity, this butternut squash is a prime candidate for boxing and processing.
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