Is summer straightneck squash and yellow zucchini the same thing?

[EVP MAN]

My neighbor says they are different but I really don't know. Told him I'd ask here in this group.

Thanks.......... Rich

[Billy]

They belong to the same family, genus, and species Cucurbitaceae, Cucurbita, pepo

which include 'Jack O'Lantern' pumpkin 'Connecticut Field' pumpkin ' 'Acorn' or 'Table Queen' squash 'Vegetable Spaghetti' 'Zucchini', 'Yellow Crookneck' and Bush Scallop summer squash Small, hard shell gourds Edible gourd Vegetable gourd

So yes, they are the same thing and will cross pollinate.

[David Hare-Scott]

There is no answer to this unless you define "same thing" when naming cultivars.

You can quite rightly say in some sense the same species is the same thing but this is not all that isn't the only point of view. For example silver beet (AKA swiss chard) and beetroot (sugar beet) are the same species, ie Beta vulgaris. One has large leaves and not much root and the other the reverse, they look quite different to casual inspection and have different names. If SWMBO says to pick some chard and you come back with beetroot you are not going to be called thoughful, perceptive and helpful.

Depending on the point of view Rich and his neighbour could both be right.

David

[gloria.p]

Are you talking about for cooking purposes?

They are not exactly the same but similar. Summer straightneck are a bit sweeter, not as smooth skinned as golden zucchini, and have larger seeds. They are also more watery when cooked.

gloria p

[Billy]

Don'cha just love relativity? ;O)

Besides, if everybody is right, then nobody is wrong.

[EVP MAN]

Well a friend gave my wife what she said were summer squash. They are golden yellow and about the same diameter all the way down. When I showed them to my neighbor, he said: NO they are yellow zucchini. He then took me into his garden and said: here is summer squash! They looked about the same except the blossom end was of larger diameter, unlike the ones I was given which did look more like a zucchini in shape.

Rich

[Pat Kiewicz]

They are different cultivars of the same species.

I prefer golden (yellow) zucchini as they are firmer, brighter colored, and give a more uniform cut. I also think they have a bit more flavor.

Scroll down a bit for pictures of yellow straightneck squash, green zucchini, and golden zucchini:

the way, all of the squash picture on this page with the exception of the buttercup, butternut and hubbard squash are cultivars of the same species (Cucurbita pepo) even though they look quite different and have different standards for harvest and culinary use.

[Custom Closets]

[Custom Closets]

There are many types of squash that have different nicknames