What is this?

[birdlover2]

My mother has this plant growing next to her house where she's planted other things.

She got it from my sister who got it from her school, (I think it was only seeds or a bulb when she got it). She didn't know exactly what it was...she thought it was a squash plant. However, the first produce from it is white and she doesn't think squash are generally white. Is this a squash? Or maybe a gord or pumpkin?

 

[birdlover2]

Does anyone have an idea?

 

[Cebarmlds]

It's a type of squash, I don't know what kind. It may not be ripe yet. Did you cut it open?

 

[lovesfarms]

Some kind of squash or gourd. Sometimes it's hard to say which it is because there are so many varieties. Also if a neighbor has anything in the squash/gourd family it can cross pollinate with yours. The difference between the two is squash is edible and gourds are so bitter if you want to eat them you can't!
Also, wherever the seed came from, if it came from a plant that cross pollinated last year, the fruit this year will not be true to the seed that originally came from the seed pack. Because of the size and shape, it reminds me of a gourd that cross pollinated at one point. If it's bitter, it can still be used as decoration.

 

[birdlover2]

It's a type of squash, I don't know what kind. It may not be ripe yet. Did you cut it open?

No, she hasn't cut it open. She originally thought it was a squash but was so surprised it was white! So are unripe squash usually white? Or sometimes? She says she'll let it sit and see if it ripens. Should she cut it open?

 

[Cebarmlds]

Like the poster above said it could be a cross, i'd open it out of curiosity. Are there more on the plant? if so I'd leave them until ripe. When the curly things on the stem have dried it's ripe.

 

[cstronks]

It is definitely a gourd. Could be heirloom, depending on where the seeds came from. Edible, but also decorative if you have no interest in it.

Not bad for a random plant. That produced some great gourds for you!

 

[lovesfarms]

No, she hasn't cut it open. She originally thought it was a squash but was so surprised it was white! So are unripe squash usually white? Or sometimes? She says she'll let it sit and see if it ripens. Should she cut it open?

You can get both squash and gourds that are white. You can leave it on the plant a little longer so the shell matures and hardens. The only way to know which it is, is to take a tiny Nick out of one and touch it to your tongue. If it's a gourd, even the juice is so bitter you won't want to eat it. We used to raise several acres of gourds, pumpkins and squash

 

[birdlover2]

Some kind of squash or gourd. Sometimes it's hard to say which it is because there are so many varieties. Also if a neighbor has anything in the squash/gourd family it can cross pollinate with yours. The difference between the two is squash is edible and gourds are so bitter if you want to eat them you can't!
Also, wherever the seed came from, if it came from a plant that cross pollinated last year, the fruit this year will not be true to the seed that originally came from the seed pack. Because of the size and shape, it reminds me of a gourd that cross pollinated at one point. If it's bitter, it can still be used as decoration.

Interesting! I didn't know that gourds and squash could cross-polinate. She will probably use it for decoration purposes if it doesn't ripen or change color.

 

[lovesfarms]

Interesting! I didn't know that gourds and squash could cross-polinate. She will probably use it for decoration purposes if it doesn't ripen or change color.

Cantaloupe tastes like squash to if you plant it to close together and it's blooming around the same time.