World’s Heaviest Pumpkin Sets Incredible New Record at 2,856 lbs.
Ian Paton, a plant nursery owner from Hampshire, UK, set a new world record for the heaviest pumpkin with a 1,295.8 kg (2,856 lb 12.8 oz) specimen confirmed on 3 October.
Ian Paton, a plant nursery owner and longtime giant-pumpkin grower from Hampshire, UK, broke the world record for the heaviest pumpkin. Officials from the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth confirmed on 3 October that his entry weighed 1,295.8 kg (2,856 lb 12.8 oz). Following a suggestion from his son, the pumpkin was named Bagheera, after the panther in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.
The result beats Paton's own mark by almost 20 kg (65 lb). In October 2025, Paton and his twin brother, Stuart, presented a 1,278.8 kg (2,819 lb 4 oz) pumpkin called Muggle at a weigh-off in Wargrave, Berkshire. That win took the title from Travis Gienger of Minnesota, who set his record in 2023. Muggle still holds the record for largest pumpkin by circumference at 649.8 cm (255.8 in). Bagheera is more compact, at 596.9 cm (235 in).
Stuart retired from competition after the 2025 win, so this was the first year Ian grew alone. He said, "There was a lot more work to do as I was on my own," and reported spending up to six hours a day in the patch for two months. The UK also had a series of heatwaves this summer. Paton grows in a greenhouse, which allowed him to white out some windows for shade. Temperatures inside reached 40°C (104°F), and the plants received up to 130 gallons (590 litres) of water a day.
Paton says greenhouse growing gives plants a head start and "a long enough season to reach their full potential." Another of his 2026 pumpkins, Baloo, won the pumpkin class at the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship at the Malvern Autumn Show in September. At 1,258 kg (2,773 lb), it fell just short of Muggle's weight and remains the second-heaviest pumpkin on record. Guinness World Records said the extra time Bagheera spent on the vine before the weigh-off clearly made the difference.
Paton said he wants to continue and grow a 3,000-lb pumpkin. More than 2,600 seeds have been harvested from Bagheera. Until the end of October, the pumpkin is on display at Sunnyfields Farm, near Southampton in Hampshire.
At a Glance
- The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth confirmed Bagheera's record weight of 1,295.8 kg (2,856 lb 12.8 oz) on 3 October 2026.
- The previous record was 1,278.8 kg (2,819 lb 4 oz), set by Ian and Stuart Paton in October 2025.
- Ian Paton's second pumpkin, Baloo, weighed 1,258 kg (2,773 lb), the second-heaviest ever recorded.
- Greenhouse temperatures hit 40°C (104°F), and the plants received up to 130 gallons (590 litres) of water daily.
- Bagheera is on display at Sunnyfields Farm near Southampton until the end of October.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.