These varieties are the most common

The history of Hokkaido

In 1878 American agronomists toured Japan, which had hitherto been very isolated. They had pumpkin seeds of the “Hubbard” variety in their luggage, which is actually a rather tasteless, but all the more powerful, giant pumpkin. Pumpkins were previously unknown in Japan, but the busy plant breeders on the Japanese island of Hokkaido immediately set about refining “Hubbard” through breeding. This is how the small, extreme one came into being within about 100 years tasty "Hokkaido" - which is actually called "Uchiko Kuri". The aromatic, new Japanese variety only appeared a few decades ago worldwide triumph and ushered in a true pumpkin revival. Until then, vegetables had long been spurned.

The most famous Hokkaido varieties

• Uchiki Kuri (orange-red peel, orange pulp)
• Sunny Hokkaido (slightly larger and rounder than Uchiki Kuri)
• Kuri Kabocha (green Hokkaido, very popular in Japan)
• Blue Kuri (gray-green skin, brown pulp)
• Snow Delite (gray shell)

Of gray and green hokkaidos

In Germany, people mainly know the orange to orange-red Hokkaido varieties, which taste nutty and sweet and whose aroma is reminiscent of chestnuts. So far, mostly in Japan, but also on the advance here, green and gray varieties are widespread. These mostly taste sweeter than the variants we know. Green varieties like Sweet Mama, Nutty Delicia or Meruhe are flatter and heavier than the red ones. They have a strong yellow pulp, while the gray-green variants (such as Snow Delite or Yukigeshou) have a more ocher-colored to brown pulp.

Tips & Tricks

If you grow other winter pumpkins in your garden in addition to Hokkaido, make sure to strictly separate the individual varieties from each other. Hokkaido and other types of pumpkin can interbreed, so be prepared for surprises when harvested.