# Cucumber (*Cucumis sativus*)

Cucumbers are long, green vegetables that grow on vines. They are crunchy and refreshing to eat, often used in salads or pickles.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens
- **Also known as:** Garden Cucumber, Pickling Cucumber, Slicing Cucumber

![Cucumber](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cucumis_sativus_0001.JPG&width=800)

Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cucumis_sativus_0001.JPG)

## Appearance

The Cucumber plant has large, broad, lobed leaves and produces yellow, bell-shaped flowers. Its famous fruit is typically long, cylindrical, and green with smooth or spiny skin, sometimes striped or mottled in lighter green.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Cucurbitales
- **Family:** Cucurbitaceae
- **Genus:** Cucumis

## Interesting facts

- Cucumbers can be grown in outer space! Astronauts have successfully cultivated them on the International Space Station.
- Did you know a cucumber is technically a fruit, not a vegetable, because it grows from a flower and contains seeds?
- The skin of a cucumber is packed with nutrients, so it's best to eat them unpeeled!
- The world's longest cucumber ever grown measured over 1 meter long – longer than many kids are tall!

## Special abilities

- **Climbing Tendrils:** Cucumber has special curly tendrils that help its long vines climb up fences and trellises to reach sunlight.
- **Rapid Refreshment:** Cucumber can produce fruits with over 95% water, helping itself and those who eat it stay hydrated in warm weather.
- **Protective Spines:** Some cucumber varieties have tiny spines or bumps on their fruit, which can deter hungry animals from taking a bite.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 150-300 cm
- **Spread:** 60-180 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Transfers pollen between cucumber flowers
- **Eaten by:** [Spotted cucumber beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-cucumber-beetle) (*Diabrotica undecimpunctata*) — Larvae feed on roots, adults eat leaves and fruit
- **Eaten by:** Cotton aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Feeds on cucumber plant sap, weakening it

## Traits

- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)
- [Vegetables](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/vegetables)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash cucumbers before eating to remove any dirt or chemicals.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Cucumber?

Compare leaves, stems, flowers, pods and the part you eat. Seedlings can look like unrelated garden plants until their mature leaves come in. Vegetable Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Cucumber?

150-300 cm

### How wide does Cucumber spread?

60-180 cm

### How big are the flowers on Cucumber?

2-4 cm

### When does Cucumber bloom?

Summer

### Is Cucumber edible?

Yes

### Is Cucumber toxic?

None

### What is Cucumber's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

---

Source: [Cucumber: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cucumber)