When we think of pumpkins colors, orange first comes to mind. Certainly orange is the traditional, most popular color.
However, they come in many other colors, too. You can find pumpkins that are green, yellow, red, white, blue, even tan. As a result, pumpkin lovers like you and me have lots of variety to choose from.
What’s your favorite pumpkin color?
Pictured above are the typical bright orange Jack O’Lanterns that you and I think about when we think of pumpkins. When we go out to a pumpkin farm, we seek orange pumpkins.
There are a couple hundred varieties of orange Jack O’Lanterns. Varieties display certain size, shape, color, hue, deepness or ribs, and more.
When a Jack O’Lantern pumpkin is unripe, it is green. Out in the field, sunshine and warmth ripens it into an orange color.
Sometimes, at the end of the growing season, the fruit is still green. Many, see this as the ugly duckling. With warm weather and a little luck, it may ripen in time for Halloween. In this case, carve it for Halloween anyways. Place a lit candle in it on Halloween night. It will glow as brightly as an orange pumpkin. Maybe more!
Also see: Ripening green pumpkins.
An unripe, giant pumpkin begins life a bright yellow color. As it grows, it gradually turns a pale yellow, and finally some shade of orange. It is usually a light orange shade when ripe.
There is also a variety that ripens to yellow.
Pictured above is a somewhat uncommon white pumpkin. There are both Jack O’Lantern and miniature white pumpkin varieties. Casper and Baby Boo are the most common varieties. They are a really novel pumpkin to place on your front porch, and draw the attention of neighbors and passersby.
If you want really a rare pumpkin, try growing a Blue Pumpkin. They are often referred to as Australian Blue Pumpkins, or Jaradale.
More closely resembling a Turban squash than a true pumpkin, they are smaller and flatter than a Jack O’Lantern, with a bluish grey color. If you display one of these in your Fall or Halloween display, it will surely be noticed.
Yes, there truly are red pumpkins.
In the picture above, the red pumpkin is front and center. The best known, yet hard to find variety is “Rouge D’Etant”. There is also a variety called “Cinderella”.
Tan pumpkins are the kind that commercial food processors use when making canned pumpkin. Some say it is really a squash.
We are nt aware of any home growers that grow them. Also, we have not seen a source for these seeds.
Sorry, we have no picture…..yet.
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