Gardening Plants & Flowers Vegetables

10 Summer Squash Varieties to Grow in Your Garden

By
Annie Burdick
profile
Annie Burdick
Annie Burdick is a writer, editor, and gardener who has been covering a range of topics for publications like PEOPLE Magazine, Food & Wine, Apartment Therapy, and MyDomaine for the past several years.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Published on 07/31/23
Summer Squash

Carolyn Ross and Photolibrary / Getty Images

Squash is a staple veggie of summer gardens—easy to grow and low maintenance, with impressively high yields and plenty of potential uses in your cooking. But, when thinking of summer squash, it's common for only yellow crooknecks and zucchinis to come to mind.

With so many different varieties, you can expand your garden's output, and the recipes you whip up come late summer and fall. Not to mention they come in a charming range of colors, markings, shapes, and sizes to really diversify your garden and make it all the more exciting to see what's ready to harvest.

We've rounded up 10 of the best summer squash varieties to grow in your garden this summer or in years to come.

The Differences Between Summer and Winter Squash

There are two categories of squash: winter and summer. Summer squashes are harvested during the warm months and don't last particularly long. Winter squashes are harvested later in the season and have thicker skin, making them longer-lasting once harvested.

  • 01 of 10

    Zucchini Squash

    Zucchini fruit attached to plant stems closeup

    The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky

    Far and away the most popular summer squash variety, both in the grocery store and in home gardens, zucchini, also called courgette in some areas, is known for being easy to grow and producing massive yields—so much that you're likely to find yourself giving extras away to friends at the end of the summer. Highly versatile in cooking, you can use these hearty, nutritious squash in everything from bread to pasta to sauce. There are also different zucchini types, including the 'Black Beauty' and 'Dunja' varietals.

    • Name: Zucchini/Courgette (cucurbita pepo)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Moist, high in organic material
    Continue to 2 of 10 below
  • 02 of 10

    Patty Pan Squash

    patty pan

    Marie Iannotti

    Unique and distinctive, with a scalloped-edge, flying saucer shape, patty pan squash are a gardener's favorite but are a bit underrated when it comes to cooking. Typically planted in spring, with a second round planting option later in the season, patty pan squash is ready to harvest 45 to 70 days after planting. Lovely to grill or fry up in many of the same ways you would any other squash, patty pan are a versatile addition to home gardens and similarly easy to grow.

    • Name: Patty pan squash (cucurbita pepo var. clypeata)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-11
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Rich, well-drained
    Continue to 3 of 10 below
  • 03 of 10

    Crookneck Squash

    Crookneck squash with long curved yellow vegetable attached to thick stems near buds

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Commonly referred to as yellow squash, this popular grocery store and garden variety has many of the same uses and qualities as its close relative, zucchini. Fast-growing and high-yield, one or two plants are often enough for one family garden. Aim to harvest vegetables from the crookneck plant when they're about 5 to 6 inches long for the best taste and texture.

    • Name: Crookneck squash/yellow squash (cucurbita pepo)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-10
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Loamy, well-drained
    Continue to 4 of 10 below
  • 04 of 10

    Round Zucchini

    Eight Ball Zucchini
    Round Zucchini

    Sara Rosso / Getty Images

    This fun variation on the most popular summer squash features a unique shape and size with all the same cooking potential as classic zucchini. The key is to harvest round zucchini when the vegetable is still small, immature, and tender. Otherwise, this style is much the same as its larger version. Look for 'Eight Ball' cultivars, one of the most popular and easy-to-come-by round zucchini.

    • Name: Round zucchini (cucurbita pepo)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Moist, high in organic material
    Continue to 5 of 10 below
  • 05 of 10

    Kousa Squash

    kousa squash

    EgyptianStudio / Getty Images

    Large and ovular, with a taste similar but more sweet than a zucchini, these Middle Eastern summer squash aren't easy to come by in a North American grocery store—but their superior taste makes them worth giving a shot in your home garden. Great for steaming or stuffing, these versatile squash have similar growing needs to the rest of the summer squash family, preferring plenty of room to spread and lots of direct sun.

    • Name: Kousa squash
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Moist, high in organic material
    Continue to 6 of 10 below
  • 06 of 10

    Tromboncino Squash

    squash

    Marie Iannotti

    A unique blend between the thicker skin and larger size of winter squash and the warm weather harvest of summer squash, these curvy, massive squash require plenty of space in the garden but reward with a fun, eye-catching shape, and a great taste. Left longer, they ripen to a tan color similar to a butternut squash. These versatile squash can harvest at two different times: around 8-12" long for a sweet taste or at 3' long for a heartier winter squash taste and look.

    • Name: Tromboncino Squash
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Well-drained, high in organic material
    Continue to 7 of 10 below
  • 07 of 10

    Yellow Straightneck Squash

    Yellow Summer Squash
    Yellow Zucchini

    BruceBlock / Getty Images

    Although very similar to the classic crookneck, the only real difference here is the lack of a curve in the neck. These yellow squash varieties have a similar taste and growing needs to their crookneck counterparts, loving plenty of sun and space to spread and producing a high fruit yield in the late summer. Try 'Early Prolific' for squash that does as its name indicates, producing high yields earlier in the season.

    • Name: Straightneck squash/yellow squash (cucurbita pepo)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-10
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Loamy, well-drained
    Continue to 8 of 10 below
  • 08 of 10

    Striped Zucchini

    striped zucchini

    Sharon Lapkin / Getty Images

    This zucchini with a vibrant striped skin is another option to add into your gardening rotation. Many striped cultivars are also known for being especially delicious, so if you've never been blown away by garden zucchini, this might be the best variety to try next. Often Italian heirlooms, it's no wonder these are just a bit more special in look and flavor.

    • Name: Striped zucchini/Courgette (cucurbita pepo)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Moist, high in organic material
    Continue to 9 of 10 below
  • 09 of 10

    Yellow Zucchini

    zucchini and yellow squash

    Harland Schuster

    Not to be confused with yellow squash, though the two have a similar look, this type of zucchini grows bright yellow and tastes similarly to classic zucchini, though often just a bit sweeter. Use it to cook in all the same ways you would normal zucchini, or combine the two for a brighter color palette.

    • Name: Yellow zucchini/Courgette (cucurbita pepo)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Moist, high in organic material
    Continue to 10 of 10 below
  • 10 of 10

    Zephyr Squash

    Zephyr squash

    Lori Rice

    Almost the perfect mix of every other style of summer squash, zephyr squash is notable for its two-toned coloring. A hybrid created from crookneck squash, delicata squash, and acorn squash, it's a standout for bringing a more dynamic look to your garden harvest. Use them in cooking just as you would any of the other styles.

    • Name: Zephyr squash
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
    • Light: Bright, full sun
    • Soil: Moist, high in organic material
10 Summer Squash Varieties to Grow in Your Garden