A squash belongs to the group of plants called gourds. Pumpkin and marrows are also in this group.

They are native to South America, but were taken to all other parts of the world after the arrival of European colonists. Today, squashes are an important part of the diet for people in many parts of the world.

Squashes are climbing annual vines with large, fleshy leaves that need a more or less continuous water supply, or the leaves will wilt and the fruit will not grow. The vines can grow as much as 15m/50ft in height or stretching out across the ground. All vines have tendrils that can curl around other plants and so help them to climb.

The plants have large trumpet-shaped flowers, with both male and female flowers on the same plant. Seeds are large and flat and hidden well inside the pulpy pith of the fruit.