Cucurbita maxima 'Sweet Reba' (Acorn Squash)

Sweet REBA stands for Resistant Early Bush Acorn, and the name tells you exactly what this Cornell-developed variety does. The compact bush plants produce one-and-a-half-pound ribbed acorn squash with thick, pale-orange flesh that is notably sweeter than most acorn types. Given time to ripen fully on the vine, the squash develops so much natural sweetness it honestly needs very little in the kitchen to become a good meal. Just halve it, add butter, and roast it.

Sweet REBA's powdery mildew resistance is a practical advantage in the Pacific Northwest, where cool, humid late-season conditions often knock out squash plants before they finish ripening. This variety holds on longer, allowing the sugars to fully develop and giving you a longer harvest window. The bush habit keeps the plants from sprawling excessively, which is a real convenience in smaller garden beds.

Harvest when the skin turns a deep olive green to tan and the stem begins to dry and harden. Sweet REBA stores well for several months in a cool, dry space.