Cucurbita pepo 'Jemmer'

RHS Plant Profile
courgette 'Jemmer'
courgette 'Jemmer' RHS
Award of Garden MeritPlants for pollinators
Annual Biennial

A large, vigorous annual, 1.2m tall and wide, producing a short, fleshy, horizontal stem and large, deeply lobed, dark green leaves with silver markings. The stems and leaf undersides have sharp bristles. Large, yellow, edible flowers, male and female separate, appear in summer followed by slim, smooth-skinned, cylindrical, yellow fruit eaten as courgettes or summer squash

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H2

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Cucurbitaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy, Trailing
Potentially harmful
Humans/Pets: If crop is bitter, don't eat or feed to pets. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus
A small genus of climbing or trailing, annual herbaceous fruits. Several edible species are cultivated for food and other uses. Native to Central and South America. Solitary, star-shaped flowers are usually golden-yellow. Leaves are palmately lobed, covered with tiny, prickly hairs
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Start seeds off indoors from mid-April, or outdoors after all risk of frost has passed. Grow in soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure, or in a peat-free growing bag, or large tub of peat-free multipurpose compost. Keep well-watered and feed every 10-14 days with a high potash liquid fertiliser once the first fruits start to swell. See courgette cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds on the fruit and powdery mildews on the foliage but this cultivar has some resistance