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UK Farmer Grows Rhinoceros-Sized Pumpkin
13 Oct
Summary
- A UK grower has set a new world record with a 1,295.8 kg pumpkin.
- The record-breaking pumpkin, Bagheera, is heavier than a white rhinoceros.
- The grower spent up to six hours daily tending the pumpkin for two months.
Ian Paton, a nursery owner from Hampshire, UK, has achieved a new world record for growing the heaviest pumpkin, weighing an astonishing 1,295.8 kg. This colossal gourd, named Bagheera, officially claimed the title at a weigh-off event on October 3, 2026.
The record-breaking pumpkin surpassed the previous record of 1,278.8 kg, which was set by Paton and his twin brother in October 2025. Paton spent up to six hours each day for two months tending to his plants to achieve this solo triumph.
Challenges, including summer heatwaves that pushed greenhouse temperatures to 40°C, were overcome through protective measures and providing up to 590 litres of water daily. Paton noted that a pumpkin can grow from golf ball size to its final enormous weight in just 120 days.
Another giant pumpkin grown by Paton, named Baloo, weighed 1,258 kg and was the second-heaviest recorded at the time. Paton aims to grow a 3,000-lb pumpkin next, fueled by over 2,600 seeds harvested from Bagheera.
