Cucurbita californica is a species of flowering plant in the squash family. The species was first identified by Sereno Watson in 1876. There is disagreement about whether this is a separate species from Cucurbita palmata. In 1883 botanist C. C. Parry reported it was distinguishable from C. palmata by its smaller fruit and foliage, and fruit that is a dull green with thin ridges. It is similar to Cucurbita cordata, Cucurbita cylindrata, Cucurbita digitata, and Cucurbita palmata and all these species hybridize readily.