Cucurbita pepo

Italian Heirloom, summer squash, with beautiful black-green to almost black glossy fruits at maturity. A garden standard variety that is very early, prolific, vigorous and exceedingly popular. Its bush habit makes it ideal for smaller gardens. Pick often and your marrow bush will keep on producing. Today Black Beauty can still be found in commerce, although over a 100 hybrids are dominating the market.

Other Names: Zucchini (Italian), Courgette (French), Green Italian Squash (the word “squash” is derived from the native American word “askutasquash” meaning green thing eaten green.)

Marrows originated in Central and South America where its ancestors were cultivated between 7000 to 5500BC. Seeds were brought back by Columbus and the Spanish invaders, and it spread to the rest of Europe. The first marrow was described by Naudin in 1856, but it was not until the late 1800’s that the dark green zucchini was found in north Italian gardens where it was first developed. The Italians called it zucchini and were also the first to eat the immature fruits. Zuccini is derived from the Italian word zucchino, meaning a small squash. Black Beauty was an "All-America Selection®" winner in 1957.

Black Beauty is best when eaten young, about 15cm, when the skins are still tender. You can use in soups, casseroles, battered and fried, and vegetable lasagne. Raw, it can be sliced thinly for salads or cut into sticks and eaten with dip. The flowers can also be eaten and is very good stuffed. Young leaves, flowers and shoots can be used in stir fries, soups and stews as vegetable greens. The seeds are very nutritious and widely eaten raw, roasted, and fried in some parts of the world. Mature seeds can be ground into a flour to make bread. Black Beauty also freezes well.

Planting Instructions

Performs best in full sun with well-drained soil rich in organic matter and nitrogen, because it is a heavy feeder. Best when directly seeded as it does not like its roots disturbed. Keep moist, but do not over water. Also do not water on the leave as this plant is prone to mildew. Space plantings a few weeks apart to ensure a continuous harvest. About 44-60 days to maturity.

Coastal Areas:             Aug-Jan

Inland Areas:               Oct-Nov

Subtropical Areas:      Feb-Aug, Jul-Nov

Standard packet contains approx. 15 seeds

Petite packet contains approx. 5 seeds