Variety field guide
What to expect from Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella Pumpkin / winter squash Seeds
Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella Pumpkin / winter squash seeds produce orange pumpkin / winter squash, about 10-15 lb, on vining/climbing plants.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella Pumpkin / winter squash seeds produce orange pumpkin / winter squash, about 10-15 lb, on vining/climbing plants. It is best suited to french heirloom gardens, fall displays, cooking, pies, soup, and gardeners who want a dramatic flattened pumpkin. mildly sweet, smooth flesh suited to roasting, soup, puree, and pie Grow the historic French Cinderella pumpkin with vivid red-orange ribs, cooking value, and dramatic autumn presence.
About Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella
Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella is an annual pumpkin / winter squash with orange color, 97–120 in mature height or spread, and a vining/climbing habit. Harvest form or size: about 10-15 lb. Botanically it is Cucurbita maxima Duchesne. Maturity or first bloom: 110-119 Days; germination: 7-10 Days at 75–90 °F. Best for french heirloom gardens, fall displays, cooking, pies, soup, and gardeners who want a dramatic flattened pumpkin. Mildly sweet, smooth flesh suited to roasting, soup, puree, and pie.
History and provenance
Rouge Vif d’Étampes is a historic French pumpkin named for Étampes and its vivid red color. In American garden commerce it is often called Cinderella pumpkin because its flattened ribbed shape resembles a storybook carriage. Botanical record: Cucurbita maxima Duchesne. 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. Rouge Vif d’Étampes pumpkin seeds produce flattened, deeply ribbed, vivid red-orange pumpkins with dense orange flesh. The defining kitchen quality is mildly sweet, smooth flesh suited to roasting, soup, puree, and pie. Give runners a planned direction so leaves receive air and fruit can rest on a dry surface. Female flowers need repeated pollinator visits for complete fruit set.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Cucurbita maxima Duchesne |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity / first bloom | 110-119 Days |
| Germination | 7-10 Days at 75–90 °F |
| Seed depth | 1 in |
| Plant height / spread | 97–120 in |
| Growth habit | Vining/Climbing |
| Spacing | 48 in between plants; 96 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella from seed
How to grow Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella Pumpkin / winter squash
Botanical identity: Cucurbita maxima Duchesne. 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 48 in apart with 96 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 Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella enough room for its vining/climbing 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 110-119 Days.
Harvest, bloom, and uses
Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella is best for french heirloom gardens, fall displays, cooking, pies, soup, and gardeners who want a dramatic flattened pumpkin. Harvest form or size: about 10-15 lb. Color at the principal harvest or mature stage: Orange. Mildly sweet, smooth flesh suited to roasting, soup, puree, and pie.
Saving seed
Seed saving for Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella 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 Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella 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 Rouge Vif d’Étampes Cinderella ready?
110-119 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 97–120 in with a vining/climbing habit. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container?
Best in open ground or a large raised bed; mature vines require substantial horizontal or vertical space.
How is it used?
Primary uses: French heirloom gardens, fall displays, cooking, pies, soup, and gardeners who want a dramatic flattened pumpkin. Mildly sweet, smooth flesh suited to roasting, soup, puree, and pie.
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:10 seeds
