Type
butternut
Winter Squash variety
Waltham Butternut Winter Squash
The standard butternut for home gardens, with tan skin and sweet orange flesh. It stores well and is productive on vigorous vines.
Days to maturity
85 to 95
Best for
storage, roasting, soups
About Waltham Butternut
Waltham Butternut is an open-pollinated heirloom developed at the agricultural experiment station in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it set the standard for the butternut type. It produces tan, bell-shaped fruits with a long solid neck, a small seed cavity in the bulb, and sweet, fine-grained orange flesh. Vigorous vines and reliable yields make it a classic keeper that stores for months.
Growing Waltham Butternut Winter Squash
Give the sprawling vines plenty of room, roughly 4 to 6 feet between plants, and expect a long warm season of about 90 to 110 days to maturity. Watch for squash vine borer and powdery mildew, which are the most common problems in humid regions. Harvest once the skin is uniformly tan with no green streaks and the rind resists a fingernail, then cure the fruit in a warm dry spot for a couple of weeks to deepen the sweetness.
Full growing guide
For planting dates, care, and harvest that apply to all winter squash, see the complete guide.
How to grow Winter SquashOther winter squash varieties
Variety characteristics are general guidance for US home gardens; performance varies by climate, soil, and season. Seed and plant availability differs by supplier. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.