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.
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
AHS heat range
4-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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NC State: "Fruits are commonly eaten raw or pickled.
Cold hardiness
Future
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
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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 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/cucumis-sativus
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