An annual plant with trailing stems, of the Cucurbitaceae family. Unlike summer squash, its skin is hard and inedible.

Squash played a dominant role in North American Indian agriculture. With corn and beans, squash was part of the mythology surrounding the origins and introduction of agriculture. It was venerated and numerous ceremonies took place at seeding and harvest times. Though these squash each have their own character, they almost all lend themselves to similar ways of cooking.