Variety field guide
What to expect from Black Beauty Summer squash Seeds
Black Beauty Summer squash seeds produce green summer squash, best harvested around 6-8 in, though fruit grows larger quickly, on bush plants.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Black Beauty Summer squash seeds produce green summer squash, best harvested around 6-8 in, though fruit grows larger quickly, on bush plants. It is best suited to fast summer harvests, grilling, sautéing, baking, zucchini bread, and productive home gardens. mild, clean zucchini flavor with tender texture when harvested young Harvest glossy dark green zucchini repeatedly while the fruit is young, tender, and at its best for the kitchen.
About Black Beauty
Black Beauty is an annual summer squash with green color, 25–30 in mature height or spread, and a bush habit. Harvest form or size: best harvested around 6-8 in, though fruit grows larger quickly. Botanically it is Cucurbita pepo L. Maturity or first bloom: 50-59 Days; germination: 7-10 Days at 75–90 °F. Best for fast summer harvests, grilling, sautéing, baking, zucchini bread, and productive home gardens. Mild, clean zucchini flavor with tender texture when harvested young.
History and provenance
Black Beauty became a widely grown American zucchini after earning All-America Selections recognition in 1957. Its compact bush habit, dark glossy fruit, and repeated harvest made it a durable home-garden standard. Botanical record: Cucurbita pepo var. giromontiina. The broader crop history is kept separate from the documented history of the named variety. Where an exact breeder, introduction date, family story, or cultural attribution cannot be supported by a credible record, repeated claims are not presented as certain. Black Beauty zucchini seeds produce glossy dark green zucchini with pale tender flesh. The defining kitchen quality is mild, clean zucchini flavor with tender texture when harvested young. Black Beauty zucchini seeds are warm-season seed. Check plants often once flowering begins because summer squash can move from ideal size to oversized fruit within a few days.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Cucurbita pepo L. |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity / first bloom | 50-59 Days |
| Germination | 7-10 Days at 75–90 °F |
| Seed depth | 1 in |
| Plant height / spread | 25–30 in |
| Growth habit | Bush |
| Spacing | 24 in between plants; 36 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Black Beauty from seed
How to grow Black Beauty Summer squash
Botanical identity: Cucurbita pepo L. Life cycle: Annual.
Sow 1 in and use a seed-zone temperature near 75–90 °F. Expected emergence: 7-10 Days. No stratification; direct sow into warm soil or start briefly in biodegradable cells and transplant young
Plant during Late Spring. Space plants 24 in apart with 36 in between rows or planting bands.
Provide Full sun, moderate water, and loamy near pH 6.0–6.5. Support: No-Support.
Garden performance and care
Give Black Beauty enough room for its bush growth. Direct irrigation to the soil, keep developing fruit on dry mulch or boards where rot is common, and leave seed-saving fruit on the plant beyond the eating stage. Expected emergence is 7-10 Days; the listed maturity or bloom timing is 50-59 Days.
Harvest, bloom, and uses
Black Beauty is best for fast summer harvests, grilling, sautéing, baking, zucchini bread, and productive home gardens. Harvest form or size: best harvested around 6-8 in, though fruit grows larger quickly. Color at the principal harvest or mature stage: Green. Mild, clean zucchini flavor with tender texture when harvested young.
Saving seed
Seed saving for Black Beauty Select several healthy, true-to-type plants so the saved lot represents the variety rather than one unusually early or large individual. Squash and gourds are insect-pollinated and cross readily with other varieties of the same species. Confirm the species identified for this crop, then isolate by distance or controlled hand pollination. Mark seed fruit and let it reach full biological maturity; summer squash must become large and hard, winter squash must develop full rind color, and luffa or hard-shell gourds must mature well beyond the edible stage. Cure sound fruit before extraction when the crop benefits from curing. Remove, wash, and dry seed to a hard, storage-ready condition. Maintain several representative plants and record species, population, isolation, fruit selection, curing, cleaning, and test date.
Common problems
Watch Black Beauty for cucumber beetles, squash bugs where applicable, aphids, powdery or downy mildew, bacterial wilt, crown rot, poor pollination, and fruit damage on wet soil. Rotate cucurbit crops, provide airflow, water at the root zone, protect young plants before flowering, and remove covers when blossoms need pollinators. Do not work wet vines.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Beauty ready?
50-59 Days from warm direct sowing or equivalent established transplant
How long does germination take?
Expect 7-10 Days near 75–90 °F; actual emergence changes with moisture, seed condition, and soil temperature.
How large does it grow?
About 25–30 in with a bush habit. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container?
Suitable for a large container with full sun, dependable drainage, steady water, and room for the mature canopy.
How is it used?
Primary uses: fast summer harvests, grilling, sautéing, baking, zucchini bread, and productive home gardens. Mild, clean zucchini flavor with tender texture when harvested young.
Can I save seed?
Yes where the crop biology allows, but keep compatible varieties isolated, use several healthy plants, wait for full seed maturity, dry thoroughly, and label the lot.
Minimum Seed Count:30 seeds
