Cucurbita maxima

Originating in cultivation in southern South America, from Bolivia to northern Argentina, this warm-season annual vine trails across the ground or climbs with tendrils. Large, rough leaves shade yellow flowers, with separate male and female blooms on the same plant. Its cultivated forms include buttercup, Hubbard, and giant pumpkins, with fruits varying greatly in size, shape, and colour. The fruit stalk is relatively soft and corky. The flesh is cooked in soups, baked dishes, and other foods, and the seeds are edible. It is widely cultivated, including in Colombia. Photographed in Colombia.