Description
Zucchini (/zuːˈkiːniː/) or courgette (/kʊərˈʒɛt/, British English) is a summer squash which can reach nearly a meter in length, but which is usually harvested at half that size or less. In England, a fully grown zucchini is referred to as a marrow.
Along with certain other squashes and pumpkins, it belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. Zucchini can be dark or light green. A related hybrid, the golden zucchini, is a deep yellow or orange color.[1]
In a culinary context, zucchini is treated as a vegetable; it is usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or accompaniment. Botanically, zucchini are fruit, a type of botanical berry, being the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower.
Zucchini, like all squash, has its ancestry in the Americas. However, the varieties of squash typically called “zucchini” were developed in Italy, many generations after their introduction from the Americas.
In the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand, a fully grown courgette is referred to as a marrow.[3] In South Africa, the fruit is typically harvested as a baby vegetable, approximately finger size, and is referred to as “baby marrows
