In article ,
Pam Moore wrote:
I have successfully grown pumpkins for the last few years for my
grandchildren, using the seed saved from a shop-bought pumpkin.
I used the same batch of seed for about 3 years.

Last year I saved the seed from one of mine and have nurtured 2
plants. However I now have 4 huge fat yellowy-orange marrows!
neither pumpkin, marrow or courgette!
Is it possible that last years pumpkins and gold-rush courgettes
crossed and I now have a new hybrid?

Interesting. There is a lot of confusion over this genus. Some
authorities have classified them as one variable species, but they
are usually classified as several. I believe that modern results
indicate that the species aren't interfertile, except in one
combination, and that rarely. What I can't remember is whether
pumpkin and marrow are the same species!

You could try a Web search on C. pepo, C. maxima, marrow and
pumpkin, but be warned that finding reliable Web pages on that
topic is hard. There is a hell of a lot of misinformation that
looks very plausible.

What next?

Ask Monsanto ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.