Zucchini ‘Cocozelle’, Cucurbita pepo, is a beautiful old Italian zucchini variety producing long, slender green fruit decorated with distinctive lighter green stripes. Also known as Cocozelle di Napoli and Italian Striped Zucchini, it is prized for its excellent flavour, tender flesh and attractive appearance. It is particularly delicious when harvested young, when the skin is tender and the flesh is firm, sweet and wonderfully juicy.

Cocozelle has its roots in Italy and belongs to a very old group of Italian summer squashes. The word “cocozelle” comes from Italian terminology for squash, and striped Cocozelle-type varieties have been cultivated around Naples and other parts of Italy for generations.

Although Cocozelle itself is Italian, Cucurbita pepo originated in the Americas, where squash was domesticated thousands of years ago by Indigenous peoples. Squash was taken to Europe following European contact with the Americas, and Italian gardeners subsequently developed many distinctive varieties. These included the immature summer squashes that eventually became known as zucchini.

Interestingly, the word zucchini itself comes from Italian. Zucca means squash or pumpkin, while zucchini essentially refers to little squashes.

Cocozelle produces elongated cylindrical fruit with dark to medium green skin marked by pale green longitudinal stripes. The pattern gives each zucchini a particularly attractive appearance and makes Cocozelle easy to distinguish from ordinary solid-green varieties.

The flesh is pale, tender and mild with a slightly sweet, nutty flavour. For the best eating quality, harvest the fruit while relatively young, generally around 15–20 cm long. They can be allowed to become considerably larger, but young fruit has the finest texture and flavour.

Zucchini is nutritious while being naturally low in calories. It provides vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, folate and manganese, together with dietary fibre and various carotenoid antioxidants.

The skin contains valuable nutrients too, so there is generally no reason to peel young Cocozelle zucchini. Simply wash them and use the entire fruit.

Cocozelle is wonderfully versatile in the kitchen. Young fruit can be sliced into salads, grilled, barbecued, roasted, steamed or stir-fried. It is excellent in pasta dishes, fritters, vegetable bakes, soups and casseroles and can be grated into savoury muffins and zucchini bread.

The flowers are edible as well. The large golden-yellow blossoms are considered a delicacy in Italian cooking and can be stuffed with cheese or herbs, lightly battered and fried, or added to other dishes.

If harvesting flowers for the kitchen, choose mainly male flowers. These grow on long slender stems, while female flowers have a tiny developing zucchini immediately behind them. Leaving plenty of female flowers allows you to enjoy both flowers and zucchini from the same plants.

Cocozelle grows as a vigorous, bushy summer squash rather than producing the extremely long vines associated with many pumpkins. Mature plants can still become quite substantial, often spreading around 90–120 cm across.

Large green leaves form a canopy over the plant, followed by bright yellow male and female flowers. Bees are extremely important for carrying pollen between the flowers and helping the female flowers develop into well-shaped zucchini.

Occasionally a tiny zucchini begins growing and then turns yellow and drops from the plant. This is often the result of incomplete pollination rather than anything being wrong with the plant.

Cocozelle loves full sun, warmth and fertile, well-drained soil. Incorporating compost or well-rotted organic matter before planting will help support its rapid growth and heavy fruit production.

Regular watering is particularly important once flowering and fruiting begin. Water deeply around the base of the plant rather than continually wetting the leaves, as zucchini foliage can be susceptible to powdery mildew.

One of the greatest pleasures of growing zucchini is its extraordinary productivity. Once Cocozelle begins producing, check the plants frequently. A zucchini that seems tiny one afternoon can suddenly become enormous only a few days later.

Fruit can generally begin being harvested around 45–60 days after sowing under good growing conditions.

How to Grow From Seed:

Sow Zucchini Cocozelle during spring and summer once the danger of frost has passed and the soil has become reliably warm.

Sow seeds directly where the plants are to grow or start them in individual pots for later transplanting. Plant seeds approximately 2–3 cm deep and keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.

Seeds usually germinate quickly in warm conditions, generally within approximately 5–10 days.

If starting seedlings in pots, transplant them carefully once they have developed several true leaves and outdoor conditions are warm. Avoid disturbing the roots unnecessarily.

Space plants approximately 80–100 cm apart to provide enough room for their large leaves and good airflow around the plants.

Choose a position receiving full sun and prepare the soil with plenty of compost or well-rotted organic matter. Water deeply and regularly, particularly once flowers and fruit begin developing.

Mulching around the plants will help retain moisture, suppress weeds and protect their relatively shallow roots from hot weather.

Once fruit production begins, harvest regularly. Cocozelle is particularly delicious when picked at around 15–20 cm long, although smaller baby zucchini can also be harvested for an especially tender treat.

Use a knife or secateurs to cut the fruit from the plant rather than twisting or pulling it, which can damage the stems.

The more regularly you harvest, the more the plant is encouraged to keep producing. With its lovely Italian heritage, striped green skin, tender flesh and prolific harvests, Cocozelle is a wonderful zucchini for anyone who enjoys both growing and cooking their own vegetables.