Squash

In North America, squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter squash, depending on whether they are harvested as immature fruit (summer squash) or mature fruit (autumn squash or winter squash). Well known types of squash include the pumpkin and zucchini. In addition to the fruit, other parts of the plant are edible. Squash seeds can be eaten directly, ground into paste, meal, "nut" butter, even a fine flour, or pressed for vegetable oil. The shoots, leaves, and tendrils can be eaten as greens. Both the male and female blossoms can be harvested pre- or mid-flower.