Cucumber

The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. It is a creeping vine that bears cylindrical fruits that are used as vegetables. The cucumber is native to southern Asia, but is grown worldwide, and many varieties are traded on the global market. The fruit is botanically a pepo, a type of berry. Cucumbers are usually more than 20 centimeters in length and are often green. In the United Kingdom, the word "cucumber" also refers to a ridge cucumber, which is short and cylindrical. The cucumber is a major commercial crop worldwide and is often grown in greenhouses in colder countries during the winter. The plants grow well with adequate water, space, and sunlight, although they can also be grown in partial shade. The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots easily in soil when it makes contact with the ground and can, therefore, easily root at any point when a vine is in contact with soil. Translations: Hebrew: מַלְפּוֹן (malfon), Arabic: الخيار (al-khiyār), French: concombre, German: Gurke, Spanish: pepino.