It is generally accepted that C. pepo is native to the Americas. Remains have been found in Central America and Mexico dating back as far as 7000 BC. From its southern origin, squash spread throughout North America. The name squash is apparently derived from the Algonquin askoot asquash, meaning eaten green. The plant found its way to Europe when the early explorers returned home.

C. pepo is confusing because of the great diversity in its family which includes pumpkins, squashes and ornamental gourds. Flowering is monoecious, separate male and female flowers, so bees carry on the pollination. Because bees can carry pollen from any number of squash cousins, the crosses can be quite interesting if seeds are planted the following year. (Such a cross resulted in the delightful winter squash Swan White Bale Queen a few years ago.)

Summer squash have a very mild, nutty taste, sometimes resembling fresh corn. In addition, immature winter squashes, such as the acorn, can be eaten like summer squashes while they are still very tender.

Summer crooknecks are yellow and usually have a smooth skin. Some have a pebbled texture and some have no crook at all.

English vegetable marrows are cylindrical and blunt with greenish flesh and pale green skin which turns to white at maturity. Italian marrows, called cocozelle are similar in size, shape, and colour, but are striped.

Pattypans are also called Peter Pans, scallops and scallopini. In the southern United States, they are known as simlins, symblings or cymlings. They are rounded, like flattened spheres, and very attractive with their fluted or scalloped shape. Their colour ranges from a creamy white to a pale green.

Zucchini is undoubtedly the most prevalent (and prolific) summer squash. It is usually dark green, often has longitudinal stripes of lighter green, and occasionally is yellow with green stripes.