Jack O’Lantern is the quintessential carving pumpkin that practically invented Halloween as we know it. This is the open-pollinated variety that seed companies sold by the millions in the early 20th century, and it’s still the gold standard for anyone who wants a real, old-fashioned jack-o’-lantern straight from their own patch.
 
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
Fruit: 12–20+ pounds (average 14–18 lbs), round to slightly tall, rich orange with moderate ribbing and a classic pumpkin shape. Thick flesh walls (1½–2 inches) make them sturdy for carving yet still edible.
Skin & handle: Smooth, medium-orange rind that turns deep orange before full maturity; strong, thick, dark-green handles that don’t snap off when you carry a 20-pounder.
Days to maturity: 100–110 days from transplant, 105–115 from direct seed — a true full-season pumpkin.
Vine habit: Big, vigorous vines (8–12 +ft spread). Give them room or trellis/train them.
Yield: 1–3 good pumpkins per plant (more if you thin ruthlessly to one fruit per vine).
 
GROWING TIPS
Choose your sunniest spot, work plenty of compost or aged manure into the soil before planting, and side-dress with a balanced fertilizer or more compost when the vines start running and again when the first baby pumpkins appear. Water deeply and consistently (about 1–2 inches per week), especially while fruits are sizing up; dry spells lead to hollow or oddly shaped pumpkins.
Harvest when rind is hard and color is fully orange; leave 3–4 inches of stem. They store for months in a cool spot.

Sold in a 4" pot containing 3 vines.