Since October is one of the most fun months, we decided to share some fun facts about a pretty iconic part of Halloween here on our blog. Read on to learn something new about the pumpkin!
• Pumpkins are a fruit that originated in Central America.
• The name “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word “pepon,” meaning a large melon.
• 90% of the pumpkin is made up of water.
• The yellow-orange flowers that bloom from a pumpkin vine are edible.
• Using pumpkins as lanterns at Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic custom brought to America by European immigrants.
• The world’s heaviest pumpkin was grown by Chris Stevens (USA) and was recorded on October 9, 2010 weighing 1,810.5 lbs. (source: Guinness World Records)
• Pumpkins, and their seeds, were a celebrated food of the Native American Indians who treasured them both for their dietary and medicinal properties.
• Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state in the country. It harvests nearly 12,300 acres of fruit.