15 Unique and Rare Pumpkin Varieties to Look For This Year
It's pumpkin time, and we have some fun and unique varieties for you to look for this year. Pumpkins come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss has some exciting types to check out, and see if you can find them at your local pumpkin patch!
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It seems like as soon as the first leaf falls, everything turns to pumpkin spice. I’m not knocking it. I know this occurrence is much anticipated by many, but sometimes I want something a bit different. We don’t need to throw out the whole pumpkin experience. But what if we found some unique and rare alternatives to the usual big orange squash?
It’s too late to grow these interesting cultivars this year. But since pumpkins can take a while to mature, there’s no time like the present to start planning for next year. Plant your pumpkins between May and June for a bountiful autumn harvest.
For now, it’s a great time to enjoy these unusual varieties and order some seeds for next year. Then, see if you can find some of them at your local pumpkin patch! Here are some colorful, shapely, and unique varieties to grow in your garden.
Red Warty Thing
Red Warty Thing Pumpkin Seeds
Galeux d’Eysines
Galeux d’Eysines Pumpkin Seeds
Jarrahdale
Jarrahdale Pumpkin Seeds
‘Black Kat’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita pepo ‘Black Kat’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Compact |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
This little cutie is compact and has some great characteristics. Easy for little ones to handle, ‘Black Kat’ only weighs about a pound or two when mature. The vines are manageable at six to eight feet long, and they mature relatively fast at about 75-80 days.
The outside of ‘Black Kat’ is the darkest green you can imagine. When they are ripe, they are nearly black. They make great accents added to larger, more brightly colored pumpkins. A fun feature of this variety is that when you cut into it, despite the dark rind, the flesh is bright orange.
‘Blue Doll’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘Blue Doll’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
Quite the opposite of ‘Black Kat,’ ‘Blue Doll’ is large and colorful. If you’ve never seen a blue variety, this is one of the prettiest. ‘Blue Doll’ pumpkins are large and dense. They can easily weigh up to 20 pounds. The extra-long vines produce a hearty volume.
‘Blue Doll’ has beautiful blue-green skin. It’s more square than round, with a depression on top, making it a great stacking pumpkin. Inside, the flesh is pale orange and good for baking. They also have a long shelf life, lasting up to three months.
‘One Too Many’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘One Too Many’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
If you want a fun and different carving pumpkin, look for ‘One Too Many.’ This is an easy cultivar to grow and can reach impressive weights of up to 20 pounds. The full-sized vines produce about two or three fruits each.
‘One Too Many’ is full and round. The skin is interesting, as it is white with irregular reddish-orange veins all over. Their quirky name comes from the look of a person’s eyes after a night of overindulgence. The flesh is edible and makes a nice pie.
‘Galeux d’Eysines’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbitae maxima ‘Galeux d’Eysines’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | 10-15 feet |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
It may not be the prettiest pumpkin on the lot, but if you like to cook your pumpkins, ‘Galeux d’Eysines’ is one of the sweetest around. The bumpy skin is a result of their high sugar content, and they have delicious, smooth flesh. Use this variety for a tasty soup or sauce.
‘Galeux d’Eysines’ are medium-sized fruits weighing between 10 and 15 pounds at maturity. Their unique skin makes them an interesting addition to autumn decor and table centerpieces. They store for a long time, up to six months!
‘Jarrahdale’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘Jarrahdale’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | 10-15 feet |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
This blue variety is medium-sized, reaching about 6-12 pounds at maturity. They are drum-shaped with a flattened top and bottom, making them great for stacking. Their striking silvery blue skin mixes beautifully with other, more traditional pumpkins.
‘Jarrahdale’ pumpkins are good for carving, but it takes a bit more elbow grease. The flesh is golden and creamy, with a stringless texture and a nutty flavor. Slice this one open, drizzle with honey, and bake it for a delicious treat.
‘Crunchkin’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita pepo ‘Crunchkin’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
You’ve seen the adorable ‘Munchkin’ variety in most places that sell pumpkins. This is their cousin ‘Crunchkin’ named for their extra thick and crunchy skin. This small variety matures in about 80-100 days and grows on long, vigorous vines.
The rind is orange with light yellow speckling. They have long, thin stems and are excellent for craft projects because they are easy for small hands to carry. Their sweet flesh is good for baking, but you’ll need quite a few if you want to make a pie with them.
‘Red Warty Thing’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘Red Warty Thing’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | 10-15 feet |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
It’s a funky name for a funky-looking pumpkin. ‘Red Warty Thing’ looks just like it sounds. Large and firm, these 10-20 pound fruits have a thick skin that makes them good for long storage times. The vines are long but only produce one or two fruits each.
The unique feature of this squash is its thick, red skin. It’s covered in large bumps, giving it a warty appearance. Inside, it’s all sweetness and refinement. The smooth, creamy flesh is delicious and wonderful for cooking. It makes a fun Jack-o-Lantern, too!
‘Fireball’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘Fireball’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
‘Fireball’ looks like a miniature pumpkin but grows to a more medium size, about 12″ tall and wide. At maturity, the fruits weigh around nine pounds. They are mostly round but can be slightly flat on top. They are highly disease-resistant.
These squash have a fun and different appearance. When unripe, they have dark green ribs on a yellow background. As they mature, the ribs change to a dark orange, but the stem remains deep green. They are edible, but they’re mainly grown for ornamental use.
‘Lil Pump-Ke-Mon’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita pepo ‘Lil Pump-Ke-Mon’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Compact |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
‘Lil Pump-Ke-Mon’ is a mini pumpkin with tons of personality. It is small but packs a punch in the color department. This is another great craft variety. Weighing about one to two pounds, it is perfect for little hands and creative minds.
The fruits are small and slightly flattened. The skin is creamy white, and the ribs have orange and green stripes and speckles in the same shades. They are good for roasting and serving personal-sized around the holidays. Stuff them or spice them for a surprisingly decorative side dish.
‘Mellow Yellow’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita pepo ‘Mellow Yellow’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
‘Mellow Yellow’ is just this side of conventional. On its own, you might think it looks like the average pumpkin, but place it next to a conventional fruit, and you’ll see its golden glow. This hybrid is lighter and brighter in color.
The fruits are medium to large and blocky to round, weighing between 10 and 18 pounds. They are resistant to powdery mildew and perform well in the garden. This is a great pumpkin, with sweet, nutty, golden flesh. It’s also great for carving.
‘Polar Bear’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘Polar Bear’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
You’ve probably seen the small white ‘Cinderella’ variety. ‘Polar Bear’ has a similar look but is much larger. You can’t miss these at the patch, they tower over their neighbors at up to 18 inches tall. These extra large fruits can weigh from 30 to 65 pounds at maturity!
Smooth, white rind makes these great for carving and decorating. More than its decorative use, ‘Polar Bear’ is most commonly grown for edible use. The flesh is sweet and orange. It’s great for baking with or cooking whole. You can make a lot of delicious soup with a single ‘Polar Bear.’
‘Grizzly Bear’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita pepo ‘Grizzly Bear’ Super Freak Series™ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
This bear is small, with a sprinkling of small warts caused by its high sugar content. ‘Grizzly Bear’ is a small to medium-sized variety, coming in at about six to eight pounds at maturity. The fruits are round and orange, and the warts can be the same orange or a lighter shade.
‘Grizzly Bear’ has strong vines that are resistant to important diseases. They have long, strong, green stems, which are high producers. The fruit is flavorful and sweet, and it lasts a long time in storage.
‘Porcelain Doll’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita maxima ‘Porcelain Doll’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
‘Porcelain Doll’ bears a resemblance to ‘Blue Doll’ but with apricot-colored skin. The rind is thick and firm, so these last a long time and are durable in the field. Expect two to three large pumpkins per vine.
The fruits are large, weighing between 16 and 24 pounds. They are blocky with flattened tops and bottoms, great for stacking. Their dark orange flesh is sweet and great for making pies.
‘Long Island Cheese’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita moschata ‘Long Island Cheese’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
This nostalgic squash is an old cultivar with a long history of use in pie making. Its incredibly smooth, stringless, and sweet flesh is bright orange and nutrient-rich, with a high sugar content, making it ideal for desserts.
The outside is tan to light orange, and smooth, with a flattened shape. It gets its name from its physical appearance, resembling a cheese wheel. The thick, hard rind makes this good for storing for long periods, up to six months.
‘Blaze’
BOTANICAL NAME | Cucurbita pepo var. pepo ‘Blaze’ |
SUN REQUIREMENTS | Full sun |
VINE | Long |
HARDINESS ZONES | 3-11 |
This last variety is predominantly an ornamental one. ‘Blaze’ bears small fruits up to about three pounds and seven inches in diameter. The vines are vigorous and excellent producers. They are resistant to powdery mildew, as well.
These small pumpkins have a flattened shape and yellow skin with orange ribs. The dark green stem stands out and curls lightly up top. This hybrid variety’s bright colors make it wonderful for crafting and autumn decor.