12 Different Types Of Pumpkins And Squash To Try This Fall

Fall is not just a time for pumpkin spice lattes, it’s a time for pumpkins — period. Nothing symbolizes fall quite like a bright orange pumpkin on your front porch. But you have likely noticed that pumpkins and other autumn squash come in all sorts of shapes and colors. You may even wonder which of these many unique and colorful fall vegetables are worth purchasing or growing.

Some of the best squash you should grow or purchase for cooking include kabocha, butternut, and spaghetti squash. If you are looking for pumpkins that taste delicious and also make great fall decorations, opt for fairytale, sugar, Rouge Vif D'Etampes, or hijinks pumpkins. If you need beautiful pumpkins and squash to grow for decor, consider turban squash, or the petite baby boo or Jack-be-little pumpkins. 

Nowadays, there is no shortage of variety regarding fall squash and pumpkins. These autumn vegetables are everywhere, from grocery stores to restaurant soup-de-jours, and even in your favorite desserts. While it’s easy to locate and grow many types of pumpkins and squash, choosing the best varieties is a harder task. Below is a list of 12 incredible pumpkin and squash varieties that are all worth bringing home this fall.

12 Different Pumpkins And Gourds Worth Trying Out This Fall

1. Butternut Squash

If you live anywhere with four seasons, you know that it doesn’t quite feel like autumn until you’ve had a nourishing warm bowl of butternut squash soup. While soup is a popular way to utilize this squash, it certainly isn’t the only way.

Butternut squash is great braised and roasted, and is a popular filling in ravioli and other rich Italian cuisine. It is readily available in all grocery stores and is often quite cheap as soon as fall hits. If you have a longer growing season, this squash is a great fall vegetable, as it takes about 110 days to grow to fruition.

Pro Tip: If you want a delicious fall squash that grows quicker, opt for the equally delicious and nutty acorn squash, which matures in as quickly as 80 days.

2. Fairytale Pumpkin

If you want unique and whimsical pumpkins that you can later turn into a delicious meal, consider hunting down some fairytale pumpkins. These pumpkins have deep and dramatic ridges. They are a vibrant orange when fully mature, but can also have lovely hints of green.

These are great pumpkins to display, as they have one of the longest shelf lives of all pumpkins. This means you can have them outside for well over a month, and then cook the flesh, which is sweet and delicious. These pumpkins are great for pie making and pumpkin puree. 

3. Jack-Be-Little Pumpkin

If you want to find a pumpkin that is easy to grow and provides great decoration for Halloween and Thanksgiving, look no further than the Jack-be-little pumpkin. This pumpkin variety is the adorable orange pumpkin that can fit in your hand. Not only are they cute, but they are easy to grow.

These pumpkins grow in three months, and each plant can yield up to eight pumpkins. These small pumpkins make great decor on your dining room table and throughout the home. You can even hollow them out and use them as bowls for pumpkin or squash soup.

4. Spaghetti Squash

If you are looking for a way to combat all the rich and fatty flavors that fall brings with it, then it’s time to buy some spaghetti squash. This squash has grown more popular in the era of Keto and gluten-free diets.

The yellow-shelled fall squash gets its name from its stringy interior flesh. After baking it you can pull these strings apart and use it as a much healthier (gluten-free) vegetable alternative to pasta. This squash is quite affordable in the autumn, and you can also grow it in three to four months.

5. Red October Pumpkin

Consider the red October variety if you want to grow an ornate and versatile pumpkin. This is a smaller pumpkin variety and has a shape that is between a pumpkin and a squash. Its bright red to orange color makes it a great pumpkin to display.

After you are done displaying it, this pumpkin is also very tasty. It has a fine grain and is very sweet. This makes it ideal for pumpkin pie, as well as any pumpkin puree, as it is not stringy in the least.

6. Kabocha Squash

Kabocha is where pumpkins and squash meet. While it is technically a squash, it has both the shape, seed, and look of a pumpkin. It is often called “Japanese pumpkin,” since it originated in Japan.

Kabocha is a very versatile vegetable. It has the texture of a sweet potato, which allows you to cook it in many ways without it turning to mush. It has a unique flavor with notes of pumpkin, squash, and even sweet potato. Best of all, you can display it on your kitchen counter for a week or two before cooking it.

7. Sugar Pumpkin

If you are looking for the quintessential pumpkin that you grew up carving as a child, look no further than the sugar pumpkin. This is a great all-around pumpkin for those looking to grow pumpkins for the first time.

In addition to being easy to grow, they are also versatile. You can carve them for Halloween and use them as decor. Their sweet flesh is great for baking as well as making canned pumpkin.

8. Turban Squash

For a truly one-of-a-kind decorative squash to grow this fall, try to find some turban squash seeds. This strange and vibrant squash is asymmetrical and almost other-worldly. 

It looks like a pumpkin growing out of another pumpkin but is an heirloom squash. It makes for a conversation-starting decoration, and if you have the patience to peel it, tastes similar to butternut squash.

9. Baby Boo Pumpkin

If you want to try and grow a spooky white pumpkin, then the baby boo variety is a great place to start. These pumpkins are a similar tiny size like the Jack-be-little pumpkins, but they are a ghostly white color. 

These small white pumpkins offer a great contrast. It’s also fun and easy to color them with black markers to make ghost faces. Best of all, from seed, this variety produces lots of pumpkins in just 90 days. 

10. Hijinks Pumpkin

Another versatile and delicious pumpkin you may want to grow is the hijinks pumpkin. Slightly larger than the sugar pumpkin, these are ideal for carving. They also taste sweet and delicious.

This makes them a good option for those who want to display pumpkins for Halloween and eat them for Thanksgiving. They are also resistant to mold, making them a good choice for those who live in moist climates.

11. Rouge Vif D'Etampes

With a name as fancy as Rouge Vif D'Etampes, it’s no surprise that this beautiful heirloom pumpkin variety has been a favorite of French chefs for nearly 200 years. If you are a culinary enthusiast, this is the ultimate pumpkin to grow in your garden.

Not only does it have amazing flavor and a rich history rooted in French cuisine, but it also makes amazing decorations. These pumpkins, like heirloom tomatoes, look colorful and strange and are sure to turn heads when you display them.

12. Cotton Candy Pumpkin

Lastly, if you want a white pumpkin that is not only beautiful but also tasty, then try to grow or locate cotton candy pumpkins. Just as its name suggests, these 5-to-12-pound white pumpkins are as sweet as cotton candy.

What is most fascinating about this variety is that the meat of the pumpkin is white. This allows you to make pumpkin dishes like pumpkin pie that are both sweet and white.

Summing Up The Best Pumpkins And Squash To Try This Fall

Pumpkins and squash are both quintessential fall vegetables. But with hundreds of different pumpkin and squash varieties, it can be challenging to decide which ones to purchase and grow.

If you want beautiful fall vegetables to display, opt for a fairytale, Jack-be-little, or baby boo pumpkin, or even turban squash. Butternut and spaghetti squash are both delicious and nutritious that you should grow in a fall garden. Red October, Rouge Vif D'Etampes, hijinks, and cotton candy pumpkins are all beautiful and delicious pumpkins worth seeking out if you're looking to try something new.

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