Pumpkin patch; photo by Dan Klimke on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).
Official State Squash of Texas
Texas designated pumpkin as the official state squash in 2013 (New Hampshire also recognizes pumpkin as a state symbol). All Food & Agriculture Symbols
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 87
WHEREAS, The diversity of Texas agriculture is one of the strengths of our economy, and over the years, the pumpkin has become an important crop in the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, A variety of squash that is native to North America, the pumpkin can vary in size from one pound to over a thousand; while pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, they are sometimes also dark green, white, red, or gray; they are remarkable for their durability, for they can be grown quickly and then stored for as long as six months; pumpkins are capable of being cultivated on every continent on earth except Antarctica; and
WHEREAS, With its distinctive shape and lightly ribbed surface, the pumpkin is especially associated with two holidays, Halloween, when carved jack-o'-lanterns light up the front porches of houses across America, and Thanksgiving, when no family feast is complete without a slice· of pumpkin pie; each year, 80 percent of pumpkin sales occur in October; and
WHEREAS, Texans have long made great use of the pumpkin; before refrigeration, ranchers relied on the hardy pumpkin to feed their livestock during the winter months; once considered a cure for freckles and snakebite, the pumpkin is now valued by health-conscious Texans as a good source of vitamin A, potassium, and fiber; in addition, Texas has become the fourth leading state in commercial pumpkin production, growing between 15 and 20 million of them annually, mostly in West Texas; pumpkins generate approximately $10 million for the Texas economy every year; and
WHEREAS, During a time when a majority of Texans are living in cities, the pumpkin has begun to represent more than just trick-or-treat or a favorite type of pie, and such distinctive varieties of pumpkin as the Fairytale, the Caspar, and the Atlantic Giant have come to be used by families to decorate their homes, serving as welcome reminders of the Lone Star State's traditional rural heritage; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate the pumpkin as the official State Squash of Texas.