Cucumber

Cucurbitaceae Cucumis sativus L.

Cucumber is one of our most widely grown vegetables, common in home gardens, on truck farms and as a greenhouse crop. The plant is trailing, usually on the ground in the open, but on trellises in greenhouses. Leaves are large, with long petioles and form a canopy over the stems and fruits in well grown plants. Fruits are greatly elongated and cylindrical, with a non-pubescent but somewhat wrinkled surface, sometimes very lightly spined. Large forcing varieties may be more than a foot long and 2 inches through. Fruits are commonly harvested while still green and for small whole pickles when very immature, and of a size determined by the desire of the processor. Plants will continue to bloom and set fruits for months if they remain healthy.

Production in U.S.: Commercial, about 700,000 tons.

Use: Pickles, fresh in salads.

Part of plant consumed: Entire fruit.