Eight Ball Zucchini
Cucurbita pepo var. cylindrica 'Eight Ball'
Height: 24 inches
Spacing: 18 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Courgette
Group/Class: Zucchini
Description:
A novel and exciting variety of zucchini produced on easy to pick plants; small, round fruit with dark green skin and light yellow speckles make for an interesting addition to garden plots and containers; delicious with an old fashioned texture
Edible Qualities
Eight Ball Zucchini is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces dark green round fruit mottled with yellow and creamy white flesh which can be harvested at any point. The fruits have a delicious taste and a firm texture.
The fruit are most often used in the following ways:
- Eating When Cooked/Prepared
- Cooking
- Baking
- Freezing
Planting & Growing
Eight Ball Zucchini will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.
This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. This plant is a heavy feeder that requires frequent fertilizing throughout the growing season to perform at its best. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Eight Ball Zucchini is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
