Gold Rush Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo 'Gold Rush')
Cucurbita pepo 'Gold Rush'

Annual (usually grown as an annual near you) Bush in the Cucurbitaceae Family
A compact, 1980 All-America Selections-winning F1 hybrid zucchini with glossy golden-yellow fruit.
'Gold Rush' is a compact F1 hybrid zucchini that won an All-America Selections (AAS) award in 1980; sources list Petoseed as its breeder/original seed vendor. Its glossy, deep golden-yellow fruit is best picked at 6–8 inches, though it holds its tender, crisp texture even up to 8–10 inches. The small, open, upright plants cover only about 4 square feet at maturity — considerably more compact than a typical zucchini — which makes the fruit easy to spot and harvest even though the plant yields just as abundantly as larger varieties.

Pros

  • Compact, space-saving plant that still yields a full-size zucchini harvest
  • Striking golden-yellow fruit adds color to the vegetable garden and the plate
  • Open, upright habit makes fruit easy to spot and pick before it's overgrown
  • 1980 All-America Selections award winner

Cons

  • As an F1 hybrid, seed saved from the fruit won't grow true to type
  • No documented disease-resistance breeding found
  • Needs frequent harvesting at 6-8in for best flavor and texture
Highlights 1980 All-America Selections winner. Breeder/original seed vendor: Petoseed. A compact, open-habit hybrid that covers about 4 sq ft at maturity.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 18 - 30 inches tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 2a - 11b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Annual, Annual in Chicago, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Edibles, Full Sun, Medium, Vegetables
Bloom Period July to August
Foliage Color
 

In The News

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 05/17
2024 : 02/08 - 05/18
2023 : 03/02 - 05/21

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!