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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  • Cucumber Lemon Apple seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Lemon Apple (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Lemon Apple Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €4,95

    Distinctive round yellow cucumber for salads cucumber lemon apple seeds produce a distinctive, specialty cucumber with fruit that matures into a rounded, apple-like shape and a clear yellow color. This round yellow cucumber variety is...
  • Gherkin Cornichon Pickling seeds (Cucumis sativus) – vegetable Gherkin Cornichon Pickling (Cucumis sativus) – vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Gherkin Seeds Cucumis Sativus Cornichon Pickling Variety
    €4,95

    Gherkin variety for classic pickling results gherkin seeds produce a traditional cornichon-type cucumber valued for its small, cylindrical fruits and crisp texture. This is a classic choice for anyone looking for pickling cucumber seeds that...
  • Cucumber White Wonder seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber White Wonder (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber White Wonder Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual Variety
    €4,95

    Creamy white cucumbers for gardens and greenhouses cucumber white wonder seeds are an annual vegetable garden choice valued for their distinctive creamy-white fruits and reliable performance. This is a Cucumis sativus variety that produces attractive,...
  • Cucumber Laureen F1 seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Laureen F1 (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Seeds Laureen F1 Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €6,95

    Laureen F1 cucumber seeds for greenhouse crops Cucumber seeds Laureen F1 are an annual vegetable variety selected for reliable performance under cover and in warm, bright garden spots. This greenhouse cucumber variety is known for...
  • Gherkin Profi F1 Hybrid seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Gherkin Profi F1 Hybrid (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Gherkin Seeds Profi F1 Cucumis Sativus Annual Hybrid
    €5,95

    Profi F1 gherkin seeds for reliable crops gherkin seeds Profi F1 are an annual vegetable choice for growers who want uniform plants and consistent fruit set. This is a modern F1 hybrid cucumber type, selected...
  • Pickling Cucumber Profi F1 seeds (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable Pickling Cucumber Profi F1 (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Pickling Cucumber Seeds Organic Cucumis Sativus Annual Profi F1
    €6,95

    Organic Profi F1 pickling cucumber for gardens pickling cucumber seeds are a great choice for growers looking for a reliable annual vine vegetable for home gardens and greenhouses. This Profi F1 type is selected for...
  • Cucumber Gele Tros Heirloom seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Gele Tros Heirloom (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Gele Tros Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual Heirloom Variety
    €5,45

    Heirloom yellow cucumber for open ground gardens cucumber gele tros seeds are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners looking for a distinctive yellow-fruited cucumber with a more pronounced flavour profile and a less watery bite....
  • Gherkin Levina F1 Pickling seeds (Cucumis sativus) – vegetable Gherkin Levina F1 Pickling (Cucumis sativus) – vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Gherkin Seeds Cucumis Sativus Levina F1 Pickling Variety
    €5,95

    Levina F1 gherkins for classic pickling Gherkin seeds ‘Levina F1’ are a reliable choice for gardeners who want firm, small cucumbers suited to preserving. This F1 hybrid produces light, slightly spined fruits with a pronounced,...
  • Cucumber Chinese Slangen seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Chinese Slangen (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Seeds Chinese Slangen Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €4,45

    Long, mild cucumbers for garden harvests cucumber seeds for a distinctive, long-fruited type often grown as an annual vegetable in home gardens. This selection produces slender fruits that can reach around 40 cm in length,...
  • Cucumber Improved Telegraph seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Improved Telegraph (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Improved Telegraph Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €4,45

    Classic long cucumbers for home gardens cucumber improved telegraph seeds are a traditional choice for growers who want long, slender fruits with a crisp, fresh taste. This well-known English cucumber variety is valued for its...
  • Snack Cucumber Iznik F1 Mini seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Snack Cucumber Iznik F1 Mini (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Snack Cucumber Iznik F1 Mini Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €6,95

    Snack cucumber seeds for compact, productive plants snack cucumber seeds ‘Iznik F1’ are a modern, early cropping cucumber hybrid selected for uniform, mini fruits and reliable performance in small spaces. This parthenocarpic cucumber variety sets...
  • Cucumber Gele Tros seeds (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable Cucumber Gele Tros (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Gele Tros Seeds Organic Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €6,95

    Organic yellow cucumber seeds for clustered harvests cucumber gele tros seeds are organic annual vegetable seeds selected for a compact, productive cucumber plant with distinctive bright yellow fruits. This cluster fruiting cucumber variety forms multiple...
  • Snack Cucumber Picolino F1 seeds (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable Snack Cucumber Picolino F1 (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Snack Cucumber Seeds Organic Picolino F1 Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €6,95

    Organic snack cucumbers with smooth, mini fruits snack cucumber seeds are ideal for gardeners looking for compact, slender cucumbers with a thin, smooth skin and a crisp bite. This organic vegetable variety is known for...
  • Cucumber Telegraph Improved seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Telegraph Improved (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Telegraph Improved Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €4,95

    Classic long cucumber for salads and slicing cucumber telegraph improved seeds are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want long, slender fruits with a crisp bite and a traditional, fresh cucumber flavour. This telegraph...
  • Gherkin National Parisian Pickling seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Gherkin National Parisian Pickling (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Gherkin Seeds National Parisian Pickling Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €4,45

    Gherkin variety for classic pickling harvests gherkin seeds ‘National Parisian Pickling’ are an annual vine vegetable seed choice valued for producing many small, green fruits suited to traditional preserving and kitchen use. This pickling cucumber...
  • Cucumber Marketmore seeds (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable Cucumber Marketmore (Cucumis sativus) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Marketmore Seeds Organic Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €4,95

    Organic Marketmore cucumber for outdoor kitchen gardens cucumber marketmore seeds are an organic, annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want a reliable outdoor cucumber variety with attractive, uniform results. This Marketmore type is known for...
  • Cucumber Johanna seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Cucumber Johanna (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Cucumber Johanna Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual Variety
    €4,95

    Johanna cucumber variety for garden harvests cucumber johanna seeds are an annual vegetable choice for growers who want a dependable cucumber type with uniform fruits and a fresh, clean taste. This johanna cucumber variety is...
  • Snack Cucumber Kaikura F1 seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Snack Cucumber Kaikura F1 (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Snack Cucumber Seeds Kaikura F1 Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €6,95

    Kaikura F1 snack cucumbers for home gardens snack cucumber seeds Kaikura F1 are an annual vegetable option for growers who want compact, mini cucumbers with a fresh, crisp bite. This hybrid is known as a...
  • Gherkin National seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Gherkin National (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Gherkin Seeds Cucumis Sativus Annual National Variety
    €4,45

    Classic annual gherkin variety for pickling gherkin seeds for an annual, traditional “National” type grown for small, firm fruits that are ideal for pickling and fine harvesting. This small green gherkin variety is valued in...
  • Snack Cucumber Iznik F1 seeds (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable Snack Cucumber Iznik F1 (Cucumis sativus) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Snack Cucumber Seeds Iznik F1 Cucumis Sativus Annual
    €6,95

    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...

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.