Cucurbita pepo 'Lorea'
courgette 'Lorea'
This productive French variety of courgette has a sweet, delicate taste and is versatile in the kitchen. The pretty fruit are often referred to as ‘white’ but are in fact a very pale light green and cylindrical in shape. It’s a semi late variety, so you can be harvesting from July until October.
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
1 yearUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Yellow | Green | Green | |
| Autumn | Yellow | Green | Green | |
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical details
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- 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
Grow in a sunny spot in rich, well-drained soil. Enrich soil with well rotted horse manure or compost during the previous autumn or that spring. Courgettes prefer acidic to neutral soil so adjust pH if neccessary. Courgettes are thirsty and hungry plants so need regular watering and a feed every 10–14 days with a high potassium liquid fertiliser, such as tomato feed, once the first fruits start to swell. Harvest July to October. See courgette cultivation for futher information.
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. Regular harvesting extends cropping.
Pests
Diseases
May be susceptible to aphids, Powdery mildews, downy mildews and grey moulds.
Get involved
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