King Ka Ae F3 Korean Summer Squash – Research Sample (Certified Organic)

Grown by Twin Oaks Seed Farm – Cucurbita moschata – 54 days

Cylindrical, light green summer squash with good flavor, set on productive, compact vining plants. The F2 population was very similar to the F1, a good bit more so than for Jin Dong Ae, the other Korean summer squash we’re working with. Some amount of variation is in evidence however. These seeds are from self-pollinated fruits. Supply is limited.

Note: Picture is of F1 fruits.

Korean summer squash is unusual in that most varieties are from the Cucurbita moschata species rather than Cucurbita pepo (the species of almost all summer squash). Moschata species squash is resistant to vine borers, a major problem for growers in the Eastern U.S. These summer squash plants do not have the bush growth habit that is standard in pepo summer squash, but the vines are compact, and they set fruit early and heavily. They also have good resistance to plectosporium blight, a major problem for pepo varieties in some areas (including at Care of the Earth Community Farm). We do not find them to hold up particularly well to downy mildew however, and the plants tend to wind down after 4-6 weeks of production. Fruits will stay tender to a larger size than the more downy-resistant Mini Paulista (a Brazilian moschata summer squash we are beginning to offer this year). Flavor is usually richer than regular summer squash. Also see Jin Dong Ae research sample. Jin Dong Ae and King Ka Ae are hybrid varieties, so what we are offering is research samples from our dehybridization efforts.