They look pretty resting on the brushy undergrowth of the pumpkin patch floor. These orange fruits grow on vines that run along the ground. They scare us when carved and make us lick our lips when baked, but what exactly is a pumpkin?

One could make a case for an alien landing hundreds of years ago, but there are stranger looking fruits than the pumpkin. Now, it’s time to reveal a secret about this mysterious orange thing. A pumpkin is a gourd-type of squash.

A gourd is like one of those misshapen foods we used to hollow out and fill with beads to make noisemakers at school. They are usually greenish yellow or orange and green.

A pumpkin is a rather large gourd, one that can be used for more than creating racket. The large dried shell of a gourd can be used for creating cups, bowls, and even lamps. The outer rind of the pumpkin is not so sturdy but it does well at holding candles during Halloween parties. It even works for holding foods, such as soups, at the dinner table.

A more familiar type of squash is the Zucchini. Pumpkins can be sliced like zucchini and stir fried. Pumpkins are bigger and more round than other squash, but they can be used in similar ways. A pumpkin can keep for months after it has been severed from the vine as long as it is set on a raised surface in a cool dark place.

The stem of a pumpkin looks similar to that of a zucchini or yellow squash. It is however not as flexible and more prickly. It is not recommended that a pumpkin be handled by its stem as it could actually damage the fruit.