Cucumber

The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely grown plant in the family Cucurbitaceae. This family also includes squash. A cucumber looks similar to a zucchini (British English: courgette).

Cucumber
Cucumbers growing on vines
Photograph of a single cucumber fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Genus:	Cucumis
Species:	C. sativus
Binomial name
Cucumis sativus L.

To a botanist, cucumbers are biologically fruits even if they are commonly thought of as vegetables: that is their value as a food. They can be cooked, eaten raw, or pickled. Some people hollow out the cucumber and fill it with other food, like tomatoes or feta cheese.

A pile of cucumbers for sale at a market

Cucumber Media

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  Cucumis sativus flower

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  The dark cucumber is a Sikkim cucumber. The pale center cucumber is an Armenian cucumber. The bright yellow-orange cucumber is an intensely colored lemon cucumber.

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  Japanese asazuke pickled cucumbers sold as street food on Enoshima island

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  structure of E,Z-2,6-nonadienal

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  Lobster, Crab, and a Cucumber by William Henry Hunt (watercolour, 1826 or 1827)

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  Organic Gardener Holding a Fresh Salad Cucumber

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  Photoed using Samsung Wave 525.

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  A Scandinavian cucumber in slices

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  Cucumber Cucumis sativus: Will square this one at some point. Grated cucumber for the sauce.

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  Komkommer (Cucumis sativus 'Gele Tros')