Seeds
Cushaw Orange-Striped Pumpkin Seeds, Heirloom Argyrosperma
$4.99
🌱 Open Pollinated
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Cushaw Orange-Striped Pumpkin Seeds, a brilliant orange cousin of the classic Green-Striped Cushaw (Cucurbita argyrosperma). Same vine borer resistance, same sweet, fine-grained flesh, with a sunset-orange skin striped in cream. A Southern and Tennessee garden staple.
🌱 Free shipping on seed-only website orders $30+, ships from Newton, Kansas.
📖 Read our complete growing guide for cushaw varieties →
Where the Green-Striped Cushaw is muted and earthy, the Orange-Striped is a sunset on the vine. Same gentle giant, same vine borer resistance, same sweet pie-grade flesh, dressed in orange and cream. Long curved neck, broad belly, fruits in the ten-to-fifteen-pound range that hold in cool storage well into winter. Sometimes sold as Tennessee Sweet Potato Pumpkin in the South.
Growing Guide
Botanic Name
Cucurbita argyrosperma
Cucurbita argyrosperma
Life Cycle
Annual
Annual
Maturity
110 days
110 days
Sun
Full sun
Full sun
Plant Spacing
3-4 ft in-row with rows 8-10 ft apart, or hills 8-10 ft apart (long vines)
3-4 ft in-row with rows 8-10 ft apart, or hills 8-10 ft apart (long vines)
Sowing Depth
1″
1″
Vine Habit
Vine
Vine
Fruit Weight
10-15 lbs (up to 20 lbs)
10-15 lbs (up to 20 lbs)
Fruit Color
Bright orange with cream stripes
Bright orange with cream stripes
Best For
Pie, baking, butter, soups
Pie, baking, butter, soups
Frost Hardy
No
No
Start Indoors
Yes, 3 weeks
Yes, 3 weeks
Container Friendly
No
No
Disease & Pest Resistance
Heat tolerant, borer resistant
Heat tolerant, borer resistant
Also known as: Tennessee Sweet Potato Pumpkin, Orange Cushaw
SKU prefix: APP-SEED-ARG-ORG
History & Origin
The orange-striped cushaw, like its green-striped sibling, descends from Cucurbita argyrosperma, the Mesoamerican squash group cultivated by Indigenous peoples for millennia. It earned its Tennessee Sweet Potato Pumpkin nickname in Southern Appalachia, where home cooks prized its mild flesh for sweet potato-style pies and casseroles. The species itself is in a different evolutionary line than common pumpkins, which is why squash vine borers struggle to overcome it.
In the Kitchen
The flesh is fine-grained and mildly sweet, sweeter than most pie pumpkins. It bakes into smooth custards and stuffings, simmers into honey-colored soups, and slow-cooks into preserves. The skin peels cleanly once roasted.
Related Reading
· Try the Green-Striped Cushaw · Saving Squash Seeds · Vine Borer Prevention Guide
Shipping & Satisfaction
We ship physical products via USPS from Newton, Kansas. Orders typically ship within 1 to 3 business days. Free shipping on seed orders $30+. Coffee ships at the paid rate shown at checkout. Shipping and taxes are calculated at checkout.
Seeds: Flat-rate shipping. Ships year-round.
Coffee: Packed fresh in Newton and shipped weekly.
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Growing Tips
Each seed packet includes detailed growing instructions. For additional help, visit our Growing Guides or reach out to us directly.
Grown in Newton, Kansas
Open-Pollinated and Non-GMO Free shipping on seed orders $30+ Family Homestead · Newton, KS
Seed life: 4 to 6 years stored cool, dry and dark. Germination is strongest in the first 2 to 3 years, so sow the freshest packet first and test older seed before you plan a bed around it.
Complete your patch
Most growers plant three or four varieties. Free shipping on seed orders $30+. Coffee ships at the paid rate shown at checkout. Shipping and taxes are calculated at checkout.
From the patch to the porch
A little something for your prairie day
Pair your seeds with pumpkin spice coffee for the morning and a 4.5 oz cold process soap bar for the end of the day.
Pumpkin Spice Soap
$7.99
