Description
Enjoy the crisp freshness of our whole cucumber, perfect for slicing into salads, adding to sandwiches, pickling, or enjoying as a refreshing snack. Available in our Local Farm Shop in Bellaghy, Mid Ulster Area.
🥒 Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, known for its crisp, refreshing fruit that’s technically a berry!
🌿 Plant Characteristics
- Growth habit: Creeping vine with tendrils that climb trellises or sprawl along the ground
- Leaves: Large and broad, forming a canopy over the fruit
- Flowers: Bright yellow, typically unisexual
- Fruit shape: Cylindrical or slightly tapered, up to 60 cm long
🧊 Fruit Description
- Water content: About 95%, making it incredibly hydrating
- Texture: Crisp and juicy, especially when fresh
- Flavor: Mild with a hint of sweetness; some varieties may have a bitter rind due to cucurbitacins
- Color: Usually green, but can range from pale yellow to white depending on the variety
🍽️ Culinary Uses
- Raw: Commonly sliced into salads or sandwiches
- Pickled: Used to make gherkins and other pickles
- Juice: Sometimes blended into smoothies or detox drinks
🌍 Origins & Cultivation
- Native to: South Asia, especially India and surrounding regions
- Global spread: Now grown worldwide, with China producing over 75% of the global supply
- Growing conditions: Prefers warm, humid climates and well-drained soil
🧬 Fun Botanical Facts
- Botanically classified as a pepo (a type of berry with a hard rind)
- Some varieties are parthenocarpic, meaning they produce seedless fruit without pollination
- Pollination: Often relies on bees, though greenhouse varieties may be grown without them
