Pumpkins Facts

Pumpkin Facts
*Pumpkins are a fruit that originated in Central America.
*The name "pumpkin" comes from the Greek word "pepon," meaning a large melon.
*90% of the pumpkin is made up of water.
*The yellow-orange flowers that bloom from a pumpkin vine are edible.
*Using pumpkins as lanterns at Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic custom brought to America by European immigrants.
*The largest pumpkin grown was recorded on October 2, 2004 weighing 1,446 lbs.
*Pumpkins, and their seeds, were a celebrated food of the Native American Indians who treasured them both for their dietary and medicinal properties.
*Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state in the country. It harvests nearly 12,300 acres of fruit.