Pumpkin, Moranga

The Moranga Pumpkin is an old heirloom thought to have been originally cultivated in Brazil, possibly prior to European contact. Moranga simply means 'pumpkin' in Portuguese, and it is sometimes listed as abóbora moranga. Its sweetness and pleasant texture make it an excellent cooking pumpkin, but its deep lobes and pinky orange exterior make it highly ornamental as well. The plants are vigorous and productive, and have an unusually high number of male flowers. Fruit sizes varies from 4-8 lbs. The fruits develop light coloured stripes as they mature, which indicate where the creases between each lobe will form.