Type
Italian heirloom zucchini
Zucchini variety
Costata Romanesco Zucchini
A ribbed gray-green zucchini with excellent flavor and an open plant habit. It is prized by gardeners who value eating quality over perfectly smooth fruit.
Days to maturity
52 to 60
Best for
gourmet cooking, blossoms and fruit
About Costata Romanesco
Costata Romanesco is a prized Italian heirloom with distinctly ribbed, pale-flecked green fruit that shows a scalloped, star-shaped outline when sliced crosswise. It is celebrated for its rich, nutty flavor and firm texture, and the large, somewhat vining plants also produce abundant blossoms favored for cooking.
Growing Costata Romanesco Zucchini
Plants are large and can sprawl, so allow about 3 to 4 feet of space in full sun. Yields run lower than modern hybrids and the fruit is best enjoyed young at 6 to 8 inches, though the flavor rewards the extra room. The plentiful male flowers are excellent for stuffing or frying.
Full growing guide
For planting dates, care, and harvest that apply to all zucchini, see the complete guide.
How to grow ZucchiniOther zucchini 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.