When the fall season arrives, orange pumpkins tend to be on store shelves and growing in patches everywhere. Although orange is the most popular, there are several other pumpkin colors to discover. Some of the colored pumpkins that you see are artificial, but that doesn’t take away from the meaning that they have during the season.
1. Orange
This is the traditional color of pumpkins and what you’ll usually see if you were to go to a pumpkin patch or to a store to get one to carve. Pie pumpkins are usually orange as well but tend to have smoother sides than those that are used for carving. An orange pumpkin is also one that is ripe and can be picked from the vine.
2. Green
If you see a green pumpkin while you’re at a farm, then leave it alone so that it can continue to ripen. Pumpkins are usually light green when they begin growing before they turn darker. A dark green pumpkin is one that is almost ready to turn orange so that it can be picked.
3. Red
One of the most famous red pumpkins is the Rouge Vif d’Etampes aka the Cinderella pumpkin. The artist who drew Cinderella’s coach used this pumpkin as a model. Their flat shape makes it easy to stack other pumpkins on top of it for a colorful display.
4. Yellow
You’ve probably seen yellow pumpkins in stores that are artificially colored, but there are some varieties that grow and turn yellow instead of orange. Many of the giant pumpkins that are grown are yellow or white when they are small and then turn yellow after some time.
5. White
A bright white pumpkin is rare and is often associated with the Casper variety. These are pumpkins that typically glisten a bit more when they have a candle inside, after they are carved, and will likely turn a few more heads if you put the pumpkin on display.
6. Blue
There are a few different meanings behind blue pumpkins. The Australian Blue Pumpkin grows in nature and has a beautiful bluish appearance. These are often used for decoration. Blue pumpkins are also commonly used to show support for autism. If you see a child that has a blue pumpkin, then it could mean that the child is autistic and needs a little more help while going from house to house to get candy. Sometimes, you’ll see a blue pumpkin at a home as a sign that the person isn’t participating in trick-or-treating.
7. Teal
Closely related to blue pumpkins are those that are teal. Many of the teal pumpkins that you see usually signify that the person carrying a container of that color has a food allergy, or that the person who lives in the home where the teal pumpkin is displayed has food allergies. The color can also signify that the home gives candy and treats that are allergy-friendly for those who might need special pieces.
8. Purple
A purple pumpkin is associated with epilepsy. You could get a purple pumpkin to show your support for someone who has the condition or to show that someone who lives in your home has epilepsy. Some homeowners will display a purple pumpkin to show that they know how to handle situations that involve someone having a seizure in the event that something were to happen while you were out for Halloween.
9. Pink
A favorite color of elderly individuals is the pink pumpkin. It’s sometimes called a porcelain doll because of it’s beautiful shading and because the sides are usually smooth. Pink pumpkins started a few years ago in Pennsylvania when a few farmers got together to see if they could grow a different color besides orange. They donated the money from selling the pumpkins to a breast cancer foundation as pink is associated with the color of the disease. You’ll sometimes see pink pumpkins displayed by those who have or who have had breast cancer, or who have family members battling the disease.
10. Black
You probably remember the black and orange pumpkin pails from your childhood. We already covered orange pumpkins, but what does black mean? The color generally represents darkness and death. And the symbolism of darkness is especially interesting because, throughout history, darkness has been believed to be a time when the spirit world crosses into the world of the living. So black pumpkins have a strong association with the spiritual world.
11. Tan
Tan pumpkins are supposedly used for making canned pumpkin, but did you know that the tan “pumpkins” used in the process are often a strain of tan-skinned squash? A popular tan-colored pumpkin is the Long Island Cheese, the classic American symbol for autumn that is well-known for its use in pumpkin pie.
