Cucumis sativus

Cucumis sativus (cucumber) — a crisp climbing vine first grown in India over 3,000 years ago, from smooth greenhouse types to outdoor ridge cucumbers. The botanical home of our cucumber range.

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    Iznik F1 snack cucumber seeds overview snack cucumber seeds Iznik F1 are a compact, early hybrid choice for gardeners who want uniform, mini cucumbers with a smooth, thin skin. This mini cucumber variety is known...
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    Popular outdoor cucumber variety for kitchen gardens Cucumber Marketmore Seeds are a widely grown annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want reliable, attractive cucumbers for everyday use. This outdoor cucumber variety develops abundant foliage on...
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    Product overview for compact, productive annual cucumbers gherkin beth alpha seeds are a vegetable seed choice for gardeners who want a vigorous, productive annual cucumber plant. This medium early variety produces cylindrical, green fruits with...
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    Kaikura F1 snack cucumber for quick harvests snack cucumber seeds Kaikura F1 are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want compact, smooth cucumbers suited to picking young. This F1 hybrid cucumber is known as...
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    Organic Marketmore cucumber seeds for garden harvests cucumber seeds in the Marketmore cucumber variety are a popular choice for home vegetable plots and compact spaces. This organic selection is valued for producing dark green straight...
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    Gherkin seeds for compact, productive annual vines gherkin seeds for the Hokus annual variety are a great choice when you want small, uniform fruits suited to classic pickling use. This is a vigorous annual vegetable...
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    Gherkin Hokus seeds for crisp pickling gherkin seeds for the Hokus annual variety are a reliable choice for gardeners who want uniform, small cucumbers suited to classic pickling use. This is an annual vegetable vine...
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    About this Johanna cucumber seed variety cucumber johanna seeds are a reliable choice for gardeners looking for an annual cucumber variety with uniform, dark green fruits. Johanna is known as a fast growing cucumber option...

Cucumis sativus — the cucumber

Cucumis sativus is the botanical name for the cucumber, a tender, climbing member of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). Crisp and refreshing, it is the species behind our whole cucumber range within the fruiting vegetable collection, and a close cousin of our gourds and squash.

History & origin

The cucumber was first domesticated in India, on the foothills of the Himalayas, where it has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years. It spread west to ancient Greece and Rome — the Emperor Tiberius is said to have demanded cucumbers year round, grown in early forcing frames — and east into China. By the Middle Ages it was established across Europe, and settlers later carried it to the Americas.

Its name is straightforward: Cucumis is the classical Latin word for cucumber and melon, and sativus means “cultivated.”

Botanical characteristics

A scrambling annual vine with tendrils, the cucumber bears separate male and female flowers, the females carrying the young fruit behind the bloom. There are two broad groups: smooth-skinned greenhouse cucumbers, which crave warmth and humidity and are often all-female to avoid bitterness, and tougher ridge and gherkin types that grow happily outdoors. Compact bush varieties suit our container range, and like other vines they crop best trained upward.

Growing Cucumis sativus from seed

Cucumbers need warmth — sow into warm soil or start in pots once it is reliably mild, never rushing them into cold ground. Train plants up a net or cane to save space and keep the fruit clean, keep the roots evenly moist, and feed once fruiting. Watch for powdery mildew late in the season. Our germination guide and vegetable sowing calendar help you time it.

Ready to grow cucumbers? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Cucumber · Gourds & Squash · Courgette · Container Veg · Fruiting Veg

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cucumis sativus?
It is the botanical name for the cucumber, a climbing vine in the gourd family.

Where do cucumbers originate?
From India, on the Himalayan foothills, where they have been grown for over 3,000 years.

Greenhouse or ridge cucumbers?
Greenhouse types are smooth, tender and love warmth; ridge types are tougher and grow outdoors.

Do cucumbers need support?
They crop best trained up netting or a cane, which saves space and keeps fruit clean.

How do I avoid bitter cucumbers?
Keep them evenly watered and unstressed, and grow all-female greenhouse varieties.