Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) — Plotwright

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Cucumber

Habit (mature) · Schlaghecken Josef / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Limited coverage

Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

A warm-season annual vine grown for crisp green fruits eaten raw or pickled — slicing (long, smooth-skinned) and pickling (short, bumpy-skinned) types differ in cultivar selection rather than species biology. Monoecious + bee-dependent for fruit set (except parthenocarpic seedless cultivars). NC State explicitly notes cucumber beetles as the major pest — they vector bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila), which is the canonical cucumber-killing disease.

Review: Source-backed

Edible

Light

Full sun

Water

Consistent moisture

Mature size

8-18" tall · 24" apart

Hardy in zones

Annual; NC State profile lists 2a-11b context

Summer heat range

Mild-Hot

mild to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.

Native in Illinois

No

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Cold hardiness

This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.

Heat tolerance

°C

°F

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Sources & citations

Cite this page

For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.

Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/cucumber

Sources for every fact

Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

University extension service

Backs 17 fields

Identity

Summary

Plant type

Light

Moisture

Hardiness

Heat zone

Size

Spacing

Habit

Design roles

Seasonal interest

Growth stages

Lifecycle

Regional guidance

Success tips

Designer notes

Wikimedia Commons

Photo · CC BY 4.0

Backs 1 field

Image

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