With a passion for growing installed at an early age, I have always been happiest outdoors in nature. After training as a professional gardener and horticultural therapist, I currently run horticultural therapy and community kitchen gardens in the UK, helping others access the many physical and mental health benefits of growing vegetables, fruit and plants. Favourite fruit: apples and pears Favourite vegetable: asparagus
Courgettes have long been a favourite of home-growers, which is no surprise, as they are easy to grow and care for and can produce enormous harvests over the growing season. Find out all about courgettes, including whether they are a vegetable or a fruit.
Courgettes (Cucurbita pepo) or zucchini as they are also known, are widely grown here in the UK. Read on to learn all about the humble courgette’s characteristics and origin, as well as what the difference is between male and female flowers. These can be a little tricky to identify until you know how.
Hey there veggie lovers! Ever wondered about the origins of that versatile green squash sitting in your kitchen? Well. I’ve done some deep digging into the fascinating history of courgettes (or zucchini if you’re from the other side of the pond). and boy. do I have an interesting story to share with you!
The Ancient Roots: It All Started in the Americas
Let me tell you something surprising – while we often think of courgettes as European vegetables, their ancestry actually traces back to the Americas! Here’s the scoop:
- The original wild species (Cucurbita pepo) was first domesticated in Mesoamerica over 7,000 years ago
- Native people in Mexico and northern South America were the first to cultivate these early squash varieties
- The plants were primarily grown for their seeds rather than their flesh
- Columbus and other explorers later brought these squash varieties back to Europe
The Italian Connection: Birth of Modern Courgette
Now here’s where things get really interesting! The courgette we know and love today isn’t exactly what those ancient Americans were growing. The modern version has a much more recent history
- Developed in northern Italy in the late 19th century (around 1850-1900)
- First documented mention was in Milan in 1901
- Italian farmers bred the squash to create shorter, plumper fruits
- They focused on developing thinner skin and fewer seeds
- Named “zucchino” in Italian, meaning “small squash”
The Great Name Game
I find it super interesting how this veggie got its different names around the world:
In Europe:
- France: Called “courgette” (meaning little gourd)
- UK & Ireland: Adopted the French name “courgette”
- Italy: Known as “zucchino” (singular) or “zucchini” (plural)
- Germany: Uses “zucchini”
In Other Regions:
- USA & Canada: Primarily known as “zucchini”
- Australia & New Zealand: Uses both names, but “zucchini” is more common
- South Africa: Often called “baby marrow”
Spreading Across the Globe
The journey of courgette’s worldwide popularity is pretty fascinating:
Early 20th Century:
- Spread from Italy to France
- Gained popularity throughout Europe
- Different regions developed their own cultivars
Coming to America:
- Italian immigrants brought zucchini to the US in the 1920s
- California was one of the first states to cultivate it
- Quickly became popular in home gardens
Modern Cultivation & Varieties
Today, courgettes come in all sorts of awesome varieties:
Popular Types:
- Traditional dark green cylindrical
- Yellow zucchini
- Striped varieties
- Round ball types
- Light green or white varieties
Growing Tips:
- Loves warm, sunny spots
- Needs rich, well-draining soil
- Super productive (sometimes too productive!)
- Great for both home gardens and commercial farming
Why We Love Courgettes Today
There are so many reasons why this veggie has become a kitchen staple
Culinary Uses:
- Raw in salads
- Grilled as a side dish
- Baked into bread and cakes
- Spiralized into “zoodles”
- Stuffed and roasted
- Even the flowers are edible!
Health Benefits:
- Low in calories
- High in vitamins A and C
- Good source of potassium
- Contains beneficial antioxidants
- Great for weight-conscious diets
Growing Your Own Courgettes
Want to try growing your own? Here’s what you need to know:
Basic Requirements:
- Full sun location
- Rich, well-draining soil
- Regular watering
- Plenty of space (they get big!)
Common Challenges:
- Can be too productive (zucchini overflow is real!)
- Needs bees for pollination
- May develop powdery mildew
- Watch out for squash bugs
Fun Facts About Courgettes
Here are some cool tidbits that might surprise you:
- Technically a fruit, not a vegetable
- Can grow up to 1 meter long if left unharvested
- The current world record for longest zucchini is over 8 feet!
- Some towns have festivals dedicated to zucchini
- There’s even a “National Zucchini Day” (August 8th)
Tips for Choosing and Storing
When you’re shopping for courgettes, keep these tips in mind:
Selection:
- Look for firm, glossy skin
- Should feel heavy for size
- 6-8 inches is ideal length
- Avoid any with soft spots
Storage:
- Keep in refrigerator
- Use within 1-2 weeks
- Don’t wash until ready to use
- Store in a plastic bag
The Bottom Line
From its humble beginnings in ancient America to its development in Italy and eventual worldwide spread, the courgette has quite the journey! Who knew such a common vegetable had such an interesting history?
Whether you call it courgette, zucchini, or baby marrow, this versatile squash has earned its place in gardens and kitchens worldwide. And now you know exactly where it came from!
Hey, next time you’re chopping up a courgette for dinner, you can impress your family with all these cool facts about its origins. Pretty neat, right?
Remember to share your favorite courgette recipes and growing tips in the comments below! We’d love to hear your experiences with this amazing vegetable.
Are courgettes perennial?
A courgette plant’s lifespan from germination through to fruiting is short-lived and lasts less than a year, which means that they are categorised as an annual plant, as opposed to a perennial that comes back year after year. Thus, to grow courgette plants at home, new seeds need to be sown or new plants bought at the beginning of each growing season. You can learn more about growing courgettes from seed in our separate article.
Tip: as with all grow your own crops, courgettes can be susceptible to some pests and diseases, especially the most commonly faced powdery mildew. Check out our expert article to learn more about how to recognise and prevent powdery mildew on courgettes.
Courgette plant: profile
Belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, courgettes are a type of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) and characteristically produce yellow flowers before subsequent green fruits. However, newer courgette varieties can now produce more exotic-looking long yellow fruits or even striped or round courgettes. Courgettes either have a bush or trailing growth habit and can grow into giant plants in mere months, covering more than a square metre. They produce great palmate leaves on long, slightly hairy and prickly stems.
After the pollinator-friendly yellow to orange flowers form, courgettes typically produce the familiar green fruits. These are typically harvested when they are immature, around 10 to 15cm long. Though if left on the plant for too long, they can grow much larger, becoming marrows.
Courgette seeds are flat and oval with pointed ends. Courgette plants are typically grown in the ground or in pots, although recent breeding programs have produced some cultivars with longer stems that can be trained upwards and grown vertically, as climbing courgettes.
How to harvest delicious courgettes/zucchini at the perfect time.
FAQ
Why is zucchini called courgette?
Zucchini and courgette are different names for the same vegetable, a type of summer squash. The name “zucchini” is used in American English and is derived from the Italian word “zucchino”. The name “courgette” is used in British English and is derived from the French word “courge”, which means gourd.
Are courgette and zucchini the same thing?
Courgettes and zucchinis are in fact the same thing, it’s just that in some countries, they go by a different name. Zucchini comes from the Italian word ‘zucchino,’ which means ‘tiny squash’ or ‘undeveloped marrow. ‘ Meanwhile, courgette means the same thing, but in French.
What is a courgette called in the USA?
In the UK they may distinguish between seeds and leaves by saying fresh coriander and coriander seeds. Courgette + Zucchini = Courghini Courgette is the British term and Zucchini is the American translation, we mashed them up to give you Courghini.
Where does a courgette originate?
As with all squash varieties, courgettes have their origins in North and Central America, but the green, cylindrical summer squashes that we know and love today were not developed until the second half of the 19th century by growers in northern Italy.
Is courgette a vegetable?
Courgette is a versatile vegetable with many names. Courgette, also known as zucchini, is a popular summer squash that belongs to the cucumber family. It is called courgette in the U.K. and Europe, while the term zucchini is commonly used in North America and Australia. Courgettes come in various shapes and sizes.
Are courgettes grown in the UK?
Courgettes (Cucurbita pepo) or zucchini as they are also known, are widely grown here in the UK. Read on to learn all about the humble courgette’s characteristics and origin, as well as what the difference is between male and female flowers. These can be a little tricky to identify until you know how. Why is zucchini called a Courgette?
Where did courgette come from?
The courgette, or baby marrow as it is sometimes called, is a type of squash that originated in Central and Southern America. Having been discovered by explorers in the 15th century, the squashes were taken back and introduced to Europe. The courgette as we know it was bred centuries later in Italy and named the zucchina, meaning ‘little marrow’.
Is courgette a cucumber?
Courgette, also known as zucchini, is a popular summer squash that belongs to the cucumber family. It is called courgette in the U.K. and Europe, while the term zucchini is commonly used in North America and Australia. Courgettes come in various shapes and sizes. Where did courgette come from?
Is courgette a berry?
The courgette or zucchini plant itself is an annual vine in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. It produces long, cylindrical green fruits with edible seeds and skin. These fruits are technically classified as berries. Other closely related varieties in the C. pepo species include:
What is the difference between Courgette and zucchini?
Courgette and zucchini are two names used interchangeably to refer to the same vegetable. In the United States and Canada, it is often called zucchini, while in the United Kingdom and some other countries, it is referred to as courgette.