organic West Indian cucumber

Cucumis anguria, Cucurbitaceae

Brown cucumber, West Indian gherkin, maxixe, cackrey, burr gherkin

The West Indian cucumber is a highly decorative relative of our classic cucumber, eaten in Brazil where it is thought to have been brought from Africa. In South America, it is prepared stewed, fried or raw in salads. Its cultivation can be traced back to New England in the 18th and 19th centuries, where it was mainly pickled.

These small cucumbers are between 4 and 6 cm long. They are never bitter, but the larger they get, the paler, harder and more acidic they become. They need to be cooked to be eaten. It's best to harvest them green, young and tender, and eat them raw. After a slow start, they'll keep on producing, especially in hot summers. You can cook the leaves too! ~70 days to maturity.

bag = approx. 60 seeds
4 g = about 600 seeds

Seeds certified organic by Québec Vrai,produced here at LA SOCIÉTÉ DES PLANTES, Kamouraska, Qc