How does butternut squash grow?
The butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a common American garden plant of the squash family that produces a large, edible gourd-type fruit in the fall. The Butternut is believed to have originated in Mexico in pre-Columbian years, but today is grown and harvested all over the world.PlantingsSquash plants are started from seeds in the spring that are usually sprouted indoors and then planted as seedlings when the soil warms up.Monoecious FlowersSquash plants, including the butternut, have male and female plants on the same plant, a common condition that is called monoecious. Pollination is by bees and the flower, once fertilized forms a fruit that grows out of an inferior ovary.Ground VineThe butternut squash forms a ground vine with large coarse leaves. The water requirements for butternut squash are high, due partially to a high-evaporation rate caused by the large leaf and a abundant crop of fruit.Cross PollinationButternuts can cross pollinate with a zucchini squash and a few k
