Gourd Cucuzzi is a versatile Italian heirloom grown for both the kitchen and the craft garden. Vigorous vines produce smooth, pale-green gourds that can reach 2–3 feet long and approximately 3 inches in diameter. Harvest young fruits at about 6 inches long for tender, summer-squash-style cooking, or allow them to mature for firmer flesh, preservation, and ornamental use. Mature gourds can also develop into attractive materials for dried arrangements, decorative displays, and creative projects. With productive vines and an approximate 80-day maturity, Cucuzzi gives gardeners a flexible harvest from a single planting.

Why Choose Cucuzzi Gourd?

• Edible young harvest: Pick tender fruits at about 6 inches long for sautéing, frying, steaming, grilling, and other summer-squash preparations.
• Large mature fruits: Allow gourds to reach 2–3 feet for firmer flesh, preservation, and ornamental interest.
• Italian heirloom: Grow a time-tested open-pollinated variety with both culinary and garden value.
• Dual-purpose crop: Enjoy fresh produce early, then use later-season gourds for dried displays and craft projects.
• Vigorous production: Long-running vines can provide a generous harvest when given warmth, sun, water, and room to spread.
• Non-GMO seeds: Plants whose DNA has not been altered in ways that do not occur naturally through traditional breeding methods.

Planting Tips for Success

• When to Plant: Sow outdoors after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed. Cucuzzi is a warm-season crop.
• Sunlight: Provide full sun with at least 6–8 hours of direct light each day.
• Soil: Grow in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of about 6.0–6.8. Add compost before planting if the soil needs more organic matter.
• Planting: Sow seeds about 1 inch deep in hills or rows. Handle seedlings carefully if transplanting because the vines establish quickly in warm weather.
• Spacing: Give each plant approximately 4–6 feet of room, or train vines onto a sturdy trellis that can support heavy mature fruit.
• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist during vine growth and fruit development. Water at the soil level and mulch around plants to conserve moisture.
• Fertilizing: Feed with a balanced vegetable fertilizer at planting, then follow the product label as vines grow. Avoid excessive nitrogen after flowering begins.
• Pollination: Encourage bees and other pollinators during flowering. Good pollination supports well-shaped, productive fruit.
• Harvesting Young: Pick fruits around 6 inches long for the most tender texture and summer-squash-style cooking.
• Harvesting Mature: Allow selected fruits to grow larger for firmer flesh, preservation, drying, or ornamental use. Use clean pruners to cut fruit from the vine.

Why Choose David's Garden Seeds®?

• Veteran-Owned: David's Garden Seeds® has supplied quality seeds since 2009.
• GO TEXAN Certified: Supporting local agriculture and communities through a Texas-certified seed business.
• Integrity Pledge: David's Garden Seeds® has taken the Seed Integrity Pledge.
• Great Customer Service: David answers customer service questions, usually within a few minutes.
• Vegetable Seed License: David's Garden Seeds® has been granted a Vegetable Seed License for the State of Texas.

Cooking Methods

• Sautéed: Slice young Cucuzzi and sauté with olive oil, garlic, herbs, and onions until tender.
• Fried: Bread or batter tender young pieces for a crisp summer-squash side dish.
• Steamed: Steam young slices lightly to preserve their delicate texture and mild flavor.
• Grilled: Cut young gourds lengthwise, brush with oil, and grill until lightly charred and tender.
• Preserved: Use mature, firmer fruit in tested canning or preservation recipes suited to summer squash and edible gourds.

Order Cucuzzi Gourd Seeds Today

Order yours today and enjoy tender young gourds, mature craft materials, and a truly versatile heirloom harvest.

Nutritional Information

(Applies to harvested young Cucuzzi prepared as summer squash, not seeds. Approximate values per 1 cup sliced, based on summer-squash nutrition.)

• Calories: Approximately 20.
• Total Fat: Approximately 0.2g (0% Daily Value).
• Sodium: Approximately 10mg (0% Daily Value).
• Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 4g (1% Daily Value).
• Dietary Fiber: Approximately 1.4g (5% Daily Value).
• Total Sugars: Approximately 2.5g.
• Protein: Approximately 1.5g.
• Vitamin C: Approximately 22mg (24% Daily Value).
• Vitamin A: Approximately 10µg RAE (1% Daily Value).
• Vitamin B6: Approximately 0.2mg (12% Daily Value).
• Potassium: Approximately 295mg (6% Daily Value).

Important Disclosures

• Variety Disclaimer: Cucuzzi fruit size, shape, tenderness, maturity, and productivity can vary with climate, soil, pollination, watering, and growing conditions. Culinary quality is generally best when young and tender.
• Seed Storage: Store unused seeds in a cool, dry, dark place in a sealed container. Protect them from heat and moisture until planting.
• Planting Zones: Cucuzzi is a warm-season crop and should be sown or transplanted after frost danger has passed. Use your local planting calendar and growing zone to time planting.

Sautéed Young Cucuzzi with Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil

Turn tender young Cucuzzi harvested from your garden into a simple Italian-style side dish. This recipe uses harvested gourds, not the planting seeds in the packet. Choose young, tender fruits rather than mature hard-shelled gourds.

Serves: 4 as a side. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking: 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound young, tender Cucuzzi gourds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons water, as needed
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

1. Rinse the Cucuzzi, tomatoes and basil. Trim the gourd ends, peel any firm skin and remove any tough seed core. Slice the tender flesh into 1/4-inch rounds or half-moons.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Cucuzzi and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring so it does not brown excessively.
4. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently, until the Cucuzzi is fully tender and the tomatoes release their juices. Add a little water and cover briefly if needed to soften the gourd without scorching.
5. Remove from the heat, fold in the basil and taste for seasoning. Top with optional Parmesan and serve warm.

Important food-safety note: Do not use bitter-tasting gourds. If the Cucuzzi or finished dish tastes unusually bitter, stop eating and discard it; cooking does not make bitter gourds safe.

Options: Add a pinch of red-pepper flakes with the garlic for gentle heat. Omit Parmesan for a dairy-free dish. Serve as a side or spoon over freshly cooked pasta.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container at 40°F or below and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F before serving.

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