Pumpkins are among autumn’s most recognizable foods, appearing on Halloween porches, in steaming soups, and inside delicious seasonal pies. Yet this familiar favorite has a surprising scientific identity that often catches people off guard. Despite being treated like a vegetable in everyday cooking, pumpkins are botanically classified as fruits. The explanation lies not in their taste, color, or appearance, but in how they develop.

In botanical science, a fruit forms from a flower’s ovary after fertilization and typically contains seeds. Pumpkins meet these requirements, placing them in a specialized category known as pepos. These fruits have a fleshy interior and a tough outer rind. They belong to the cucurbit family, which also includes cucumbers, melons, and other varieties of squash. Although many people associate fruits with sweet snacks, the scientific definition is much broader than the categories used in grocery stores and kitchens.