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It's National Pumpkin Day! Check Out These Cool Pumpkin Facts

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Halloween is right around the corner and one of the major parts of the season include Pumpkin Picking. Tons of farms across the country participate in the pumpkin growing process so that come Fall time, families can pick the perfect pumpkins. 

Today is National Pumpkin Day and we're celebrating with some cool facts about pumpkins that you may not have known. Take a peek at the facts below!

  • All pumpkins are a variety of winter squash
  • China used pumpkin leaves for a variety of different soups
  • The orange color in pumpkins comes from beta carotene
  • 680,000 tons of pumpkins are produced each year in the United States
  • The pumpkin spice latte was first launched at Starbucks in 2003
  • Some pumpkins have been weighed in at a whopping 2,000 pounds
  • Millions of pumpkins are grown and used as food for animals
  • Antarctica is the only continent where pumpkins aren't grown
  • Along with the traditional color orange, pumpkins can also be found in yellow and white varieties
  • The word pumpkin originates from the Greek word pepon, which simply means "large melon"
  • Curcubita Pepo is the official Latin name for pumpkin
  • Pumpkins are filled with 2% protein
  • Illinois is the top pumpkin producing state in the United States
  • Pumpkins are a rich source of Vitamin A
  • In Central and Eastern Europe, pumpkin seed oil is used for cooking
  • In Europe, Mexico & China - pumpkin seeds are quite the popular snack
  • Early American Colonists used to call pumpkins "pumpions"
  • 95% of all pumpkins grown to make pies and pie filling come from Illinois
  • The sugar variety of pumpkins is most often used for baking
  • All squashes and pumpkins are native plants of North America
  • The pumpkin most often used for Jack O' Lanterns is the Connecticut Field variety
  • The word “pompom” in English is derived from the French word for pumpkin, meaning something round and large
  • Bees are relied on by pumpkins to fertilize the flowers via cross pollination
  • In the Harry Potter book series, pumpkin juice is a popular drink among the students
  • In Britain and Australia, the word "pumpkin" can refer to any type of squash
  • Pumpkin chunking is the sport where a pumpkin is hurled as far as possible using a machine
  • Gourds are the most popular type of pumpkin used for decorating
  • A White Lumina is an unusual, medium-sized white pumpkin

What do you use your pumpkins for during the Fall Season? Let us know by commenting below!

       

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Tags: pumpkins, pumpkin facts, facts of pumpkins, Jack O' Lanterns, fun pumpkin facts, National Pumpkin Day