Can anyone help me identify this 'mystery' squash??

[Siwsan]

The plant suddenly appeared, growing from beneath a shrub in front of my garage. I assume it sprouted from a stray seed but this is unlike any squash I've ever bought. The fruit is about 10" long. It looks like a spaghetti squash, except for the bumpy surface. I love squash and want to harvest it, but damn. I'm just making sure it isn't from some alien seed planted by a space alien. Ok, it probably germinated out of some animal poop, but I can't seem to find anything like it, on line.

[chillfactor]

1. butternut squash

[Siwsan]

14. I think it is too yellow and too bumpy for butternut

I live in a very multi-ethnic neighborhood, so maybe somebody bought some very non-native squash and the birds or squirrels got ahold of the seeds.

[roody]

78. Not butternut!

[Marthe48]

2. Might be overgrown summer squash

How long is it?

[Siwsan]

7. It never looked like a yellow or crook neck squash

At first I thought it might be a sweet dumpling, but then it went wild.

[Marthe48]

9. Maybe you can compare the leaves

and find out that way.

If the squash came from a GMO seed, it could be ANYTHING!

[Siwsan]

12. That is a great idea

I grow summer squash in the back, but NOTHING even remotely resembles this. It's like a bumpy spaghetti squash.

[forest444]

3. Not quite sure.

Just don't fall asleep next to it.

[Siwsan]

8. I lock the garage door!!

And make the cats sleep on the foot of my bed, just in case.

[forest444]

10. I tell you.

Just can't be too careful anymore.

Seriously though. I bet they're delicious; something in the spaghetti squash family perhaps?

[Siwsan]

13. That is the closest I can see to what this looks like

I'd love it if it was because I am very fond of spaghetti squash.

[forest444]

16. How about this one, Siwsan.

Delicata squash - or some variety of it. Great for roasting!

[Siwsan]

19. No green strips on my mystery squash

I do have a nice Delicata squash in my squash basket. Almost used it tonight, but I opted for an Acorn Squash, instead.

I'd be thrilled if this strange one tastes half as lovely as a Delicata.

[forest444]

26. I'm stumped.

My Italian great-grandmother, God rest her, would be most disappointed.

[pinboy3niner]

4. Well...

[Siwsan]

6. That be my fear!!!

[saltpoint]

5. Could it be a variety of Asian squash?

Just a guess.

[Siwsan]

11. Really strange but I'll pick it, soon

I've ever heard of poison squash but I will be doing a tiny taste test, first.

[saltpoint]

18. Probably a good idea. If you are nearby a

college/university horticulture department, maybe stop in real quick and see if anybody can identify it.

[Siwsan]

21. Great suggestion. Sometimes Michigan State has a booth at the Flint Farmer's Market

And they have master gardeners there, too.

[Galileo126]

15. A simple summer (yellow) squash

They come with and without bumps.

Looks awesome! Let's eat!!

[pinboy3niner]

17. You have to pick it and keep it on your nightstand for a while to mature

[FSogol]

20. It is a Triffid.

[Siwsan]

25. I LOVE that movie!!

Haven't seen it in years, but it scared the mumbles out of me, when I was a kid.

[FSogol]

27. Same here. n/t

[Nay]

22. I bet a seed from one of last year's yellow squash plants grew into a throwback

squash. From what I understand, no one harvests seeds from hybrid squash because the plants from those seeds will revert to one of the original squash plants that went into making the hybrid. That means that this squash has a funny fruit but, maybe a resistance to rot. The other squash that was in the hybrid's makeup had great fruit, but had horrible resistance. Cross the two, get good fruit AND resistance.

I'm no doc and don't take my word for it, but I bet it's perfectly edible.

[GulfCoast66]

60. Correct answer I would guess

I am an Agricultural major and work in Horticulture. If it was green then it could be an Asian bitter melon, what with the bumps.

I would harvest it. It will probably taste blah as sports of hybrids normally do. But there is always the chance that the genes arranged in a way producing a superior fruit.

Before hybridization the were countless varieties of squash.

[Binkie The Clown]

23. I grow squash in my garden and...

I let the bees cross pollinate them as much as they want, and the seeds I save give me all kinds of strange varieties that don't even have names. Squash are quick to cross and give birth to loads of offspring of strange types. Yours looks a lot like many of the crosses I've grown. I can't give you a name, because it may not have one, and I can't tell what I crossed to get it, because the bees take of that detail.

(BTW: Have you seen the original "Body Snatcher?" Better keep a close eye on it. )

[Siwsan]

28. It was so funny that it popped up next to the garage, FAR away from my veg patch

Now I am really anxious to give it a taste.

I'll be on my guard when I harvest it, though. One false move or screeching sound, and I'm outta there!

[Binkie The Clown]

29. For what it's worth...

I never tasted a bizarre cross-pollinated squash that I didn't like. Sometimes they don't have much flavor, but they're always edible. Although, if you cross with a gourd they can be too tough to east.

[Siwsan]

30. Enough spice and seasoning can make pretty much everything delicious

I also grow my own fresh herbs and garlic so I can doctor up the bland into the scrumptious.

[Nay]

73. A bird or other animal (or even a rainstorm) most likely moved the seed. nt

[rurallib]

24. looks like a spaghetti squash only bumpier

but i am provably the last person who would know.

[jpak]

31. It's a sass-squash

[Joanie Baloney]

32. Just like humans...

smooth-skinned squash develop bumps as they get older.

It’s important to harvest the yellow crookneck squash before it’s fully grown as their skins are still soft and they taste better. The longer they are left to grow, the tougher their skin becomes and this is when they develop bumps on their skin.

http://sumogardener.com/yellow-squash-with-bumps-on-skin/

Peel off the skin, and enjoy!!

-JB

[pkdu]

33. Summer Squash thats getting past its prime says sumo gardner...

http://sumogardener.com/yellow-squash-with-bumps-on-skin/

[Siwsan]

54. I grow summer squash, both green and yellow, and this never resembled a yellow squash

I really thought it was going to be a sweet dumpling because, at first, it kind of resembled that 'acorn' shape. And the blossoms didn't appear until August.

[Sanity Claws]

34. Spaghetti squash?

Or maybe delicata squash

[CentralMass]

35. Or this one...

https://www.google.com/amp/www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/amp/students-revive-extinct-squash-800-year-old-seeds?client=ms-android-verizon

[Retrograde]

36. Curcubits are promiscuous

and squashes, cucumbers, and melons can interbreed - it takes a lot of care to keep squash plants protected so they breed true. The tendrils and the little fruit in the background make me think there's some cucumber in its recent ancestry.

It's most likely some random result of cross-pollination: it may be tasty, it may not be. The only way to know is to open it and try some. It is pretty, though.

[Siwsan]

38. I love how much I learn, every day, from other DUers!

Thanks!

[Warren DeMontague]

37. It's definitely not a delicata; as you note, no stripes. Still it looks like one I've seen before.

I'd say, roast it at 375 degrees, put a little brown sugar on it, and hope for the best.

[Siwsan]

41. Sounds like a plan, to me

I'm baking some acorn squash, right now. I do love squash.

[Warren DeMontague]

43. We're always trying to do seasonal vegetables up here, which means the selections get limited fast

so we end up eating a lot of squash in the wintery months.

Some are better than others. I haven't found a really good way to do the acorn squashes, myself, that doesn't have them come out all bland. But Delicatas can be quite tasty.

[Siwsan]

44. I made a sausage and herb stuffing for this acorn

One of my favorites is the sweet dumpling squash.

[Warren DeMontague]

45. Mmmmmm, nice.

[MFM008]

39. I've seen it in the store

So it's safe.

[Sophiegirl]

40. It is my favorite squash

It is, in fact, a delectica squash. Not all delecticas sport the green stripes. I simply cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Bake until tender. It is oh so good!!

I have one sitting on my counter as I type.

[Siwsan]

42. Now I can't wait to harvest it!

I could eat squash, just about every night.

[Motley13]

46. Maybe a yellow zucchini?

[iemitsu]

47. I think it's an Asian cucumber.

Cut it open and find out.

[Siwsan]

49. I think I really won't know until I slice it open, but it does look similar to that squash

Just no stripes, but apparently that isn't a 'squash requirement'.

It is BIG - at least 10" long. If it is tasty, I'm going to save some seeds for next year.

[IcyPeas]

50. Bitter Melon?

I saw these at my farmers market recently and asked. they can be greenish or yellow ish.

https://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-bitter-melon/

[Siwsan]

51. Different leaf, but that looks really interesting

[CTyankee]

52. Looks to me like a variant of summer squash. I'd wash it and slice it into rounds and steam it.

It will be delicious.

[Siwsan]

55. Steam or grill the rounds might be a great way to try it

If it is a sweet squash and I grill it, the caramelized sugar would really give it an interesting flavor.

I should throw a squash tasting party.

[CTyankee]

58. We don't grill any more but that sounds great...

[Siwsan]

61. Veg are about the only thing I do grill

And that is usually just when I have dinner guests.

[malaise]

53. Looks like a ripe loofah

http://andysasparagusacres.com/andyluff.html

[msanthrope]

75. Godammit, malasie....you made me think of Bill O'Reilly. nt

[pinboy3niner]

84. And now you've made her falafel about it. :) nt

[msanthrope]

85. Well, she has to know she's still my gyro. nt

[malaise]

87. As I posted it I knew that would happen

[appleannie1]

56. My yellow crookneck were bumpy this year. I googled bumps on squash and it is caused

by some type of virus in the soil.

Why is My Squash Bumpy? You are in the zucchini patch and see that the squash is warty looking and knotty. This leads to the question, why is my squash bumpy? Squash are cucurbits and fall in a family that includes cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. Fruits in the cucurbit family are plagued by several different viruses, which can cause lumpy squash plants. Usually the foliage goes unaffected for quite some time, while the forming fruits get knots and bumps in the skin. The texture of smooth skinned squashes is rough and patchy. Some of the diseases that cause these symptoms are viruses found in soil and some come from insect vectors.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Yellow Bumpy Squash: Why Is My Squash Bumpy http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/yellow-bumpy-squash.htm

[Solly Mack]

57. Summer squash comes in both straightneck and crookneck varieties.

That looks like a straightneck summer squash to me.

[Solly Mack]

65. Slicing the squash would give a better idea but straightneck squash can have slight groves.

Saffron Summer Squash, for example, has slight groves that run lengthwise.

Could also be a hybrid.

[Skittles]

62. you want I should kick some mystery squash ass, Siwsan?

YOU KNOW I WOULD DO THAT FOR YOU MY SWEET

[Siwsan]

63. I'll let you know!

It is unlike any squash I've ever seen. Maybe the squirrel that pooped out the seed was on steroids!!

[yardwork]

64. How come you never offer to kick ass for me?

I WANT SOME OF THAT ASS KICKING SKITTLES LOVE. I do.

[appleannie1]

66. It is yellow summer squash with a virus that causes the bumps.

[Siwsan]

67. Weird thing is, it never looked like any yellow summer squash I've seen

At first it had a slightly elongated acorn squash shape. And it was cream colored until just recently, when it turned yellow. I've got some overgrown yellow squash in the veg garden and there is no similarity. I've been planting many varieties of summer and winter squash, over the past 10 years, and none ever looked like this one. Which is why my theory is that the seed it germinated from was pooped out by a squirrel on steroids.

[nolabear]

68. You've got 68 replies about a squash?

I must not be living right.

[Siwsan]

69. You know, sometimes people just enjoy a distraction

I'm a little blown away, too, but I've gotten some fantastic and much appreciated information. And now I will feel comfortable walking past the plant without arming myself with a stick.

[nolabear]

70. I love it. We DO need distraction!

[drthais]

71. just a bumpy yellow squash

I say pick it and eat it....
squash is squash, when you get right down to it
and no, it isn't a weird alien thing


ps: we are farmers....trust me - its fine

[Siwsan]

72. If I lived just a couple of miles down the road, I would have blamed City of Flint water!

But since I'm in the township and use a well, I'll just accept it is a strange looking 'where the heck did THAT come from' sort of squash.

[NickB79]

74. Squash are the horny perverts of the vegetable world

They'll cross breed with just about anything remotely resembling them.

[msanthrope]

76. Delicata. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

77. I've seen ones like it at the store.

[Warpy]

79. With thin skin, firm sweet flesh it could be a straightneck summer squash or yellow zucchini

It could also be a variety of gourd, in which case the flesh won't be very good and the skin will be thicker.

There are toxic squashes out there, also, with flesh containing a lot of cucurbitacin, something all edible squashes contain in small amounts. In the toxic squashes, the substance will make the flesh bitter and nasty. Eating enough bitter, nasty, toxic squash will result in severe GI cramping and diarrhea with dehydration and a spike in liver enzymes. Some deaths have been reported.

I'd probably give it a miss just on general principles. I'd also harvest it and toss it just so it wouldn't be attractive to kids.

[brooklynite]

80. If you fire some bullets into it, you'll know what kind it is...

...and you might figure out who killed Vince Foster.

[doc03]

81. It is one of those pods

from The Invation of the Body Snatchers. Don't go to sleep.

[applegrove]

82. Gourd? Not edible. They have a hard shell inside and are used for utensil and eating

vessels when dried. They have bumps on them like what is pictured. We had a bowl of various gourds as a centrepiece on the dinning room table for years. The same ones year after year. They just got dryer and dryer as the years went by. My mom liked old time things like that. We never cut them open. I think that is what we all ate out of 10,000 years ago.

[Drahthaardogs]

86. Not too many summer squash vine

I think that is a melon cucumber. There are italian and asian varieties.

[Vinca]

88. It looks like a mutant yellow summer squash to me.

Every so often a freak of nature like yours turns up in my garden. Oddly, it seems to mostly come from the yellow squash. Maybe the bees cross pollinate the plant from a pumpkin plant or cucumber or something.

[pinboy3niner]

89. Coming soon to SyFy: Mutant Squashnado!