Description
Having a slightly tapered neck, the Early Prolific Straightneck Squash matures in just 50 days of planting. In 1938, the All American Selections, which is a non-profit organization, selected this plant as the winner for being easy to grow but still maintaining high quality. It resembles the Yellow crookedneck squash but without the curve in its neck. If harvested frequently, it will produce new squashes for weeks, making it a perfect plant for those who love to cook what they plant. If fruits are left on the vine for too long, this will send a message to the plant that it has produced enough, and it stops.
Believed to have been an offspring of the yellow crookneck squash, DNA testing has proven that it came about as a result of an out-crossing of a cultivator of the crookneck group with a cultivator of the acorn group. It grows to a height of 12 to 24 inches, with a size of about 1-3 pounds, depending upon the environment and other conditions. Its growth habit is a bushy vine, with its small yellow flowers attracting bees, butterflies and certain types of birds.
Its pale yellow or whitish skin may be pebbled with bumps, but can also be smooth. In order to preserve its great taste, one should harvest it when it reaches five to six inches in length. Harvesting the Early Prolific Straightneck Squash early is also acceptable. It has a classical flavor that comes with summer squashes, with a mild black pepper and nutty flavor when cooked.
Though this plant is in season year-round, its peak season is during the summer months. It is a part of the Cucurbita Pepo family that is predominately grown and used in cooking in North America. Due to its straight neck, the Early Prolific Straightneck Squash is mostly preferred over the crooked-necked squash by commercial sellers. This is because the crookneck squash has a tendency to break during shipping.