Amazing creeping plant that projects its seeds by the explosion of the fruit. Change ). C. brachystachia) – the climber with undivided leaves and exploding (when mature) - scattering seeds, very small (smaller than in the previous species) edible fruits. Seed Availability. Use good compost and full sun preferably in a hotter climate than the UK but I've had great results with rearing the plants in a greenhouse and then planting outside in early summer in the UK. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Since my teens I have wanted to grow everything and anything at least once! 2.9k this amazing and incredibly rare edible climbing annual is regarded as one of the true lost crops of the inca people. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Welcome to Flowery Prose! Commonly known as exploding cucumber it must not be confused with the squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium) which is a low growing, Mediterranean plant with roughly hairy leaves, 1cm yellow flowers and bristly fruits that detach from their pedicels and squirt their seeds, and liquid, with deliciously violent force when ripe or when jostled. I think they are a bit more edible though, you pick them young, and chop them in two or 3 pieces straight into salads. Exploding Cucumber Achocha Cyclanthera Explodens Seeds Packet of 10+ fresh homegrown seeds! Edible parts: You can eat the flesh of this edible wild plant, but you have to get past the spikes first. Exploding Cucumber – Cyclanthera explodens. ( Log Out /  Just thought people should know what they are looking at. The fruits can be picked early and eaten raw, or you can wait for them to explode before eating them. 5 more photos VIEW GALLERY. Synonyms * cuke (informal) Derived terms * Armenian cucumber () * cool as a cucumber * exploding cucumber * squirting cucumber Related terms * (l) (cucumber-shaped) See also * courgette * gherkin * marrow * pickle * … The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh. Male flowers tend to be open clusters, whereas the swollen base distinguishes female flowers. It turns out that a few of the more unusual edibles this year have dropped into this category because they have not been very tasty – such as the strawberry spinach. Growing words about gardening, writing, and outdoor pursuits in Alberta, Canada. Welcome to Uprooted Magnolia. Chilli lover, former chilli farmer, addict of greenhouse tranquility and the marvels of turning small seed into food producing machines. Caution: Other cacti may not be edible. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The first one is poisonous and inedible but the edible one I have been growing comes with a health warning which I must admit I didn’t pay much heed to. Pick them quick and do it wearing glasses or goggles. They have probably spread about 10 feet in every direction, and there is still quite a lot of growing time left (as of 6th August). In fact I have had to cut them back quite ruthlessly, otherwise the two plants would take over the garden. The squirting cucumber is a poisonous relative of the edible cucumber. Roslyn's photography, art, cats, exploring, writing, life, Our garden, gardens visited, occasional thoughts and book reviews, four decades of organic vegetable gardening and barely a clue. Chillies – So what’s with dfferent varieties of the same thing? Exploding Cucumber (Cyclanthera explodens, syn. The seeds came from realseeds.co.uk They are weird flat things with rough edges. Also, Casabanana is consumed in an immature stage as a vegetable or in soups or stews. The arches the plants are currently swamping are a bit exposed but, for now, the plants are coping. 10/10 – it is unique, easy and so much fun, 2/10 – it would not win a beauty contest with chickweed, achocha, cyclanthera, cyclanthera explodens, ecballium, exploding cucumber, how to grow cyclanthera explodens, squirting cucumber, what is exploding cucumber, Professional gardener, author, writer, broadcaster and speaker living in Ireland. The common name for Achocha, of Exploding Cucumbers, comes from the fact that if left to over mature the “Cucumbers,” will simply explode as a means of seed dispersal in a similar way to a few other plants such as Pansy’s and Impatience. So the warning I took with a pinch of salt definitely stands. The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh. But one little curiosity has done exactly what I expected and provided a bit of fun. Species: Explodens. I find mouse melons a little tough and sharp if you don’t get them early. The plants give small fruit about 5cm long, and the huge vines yield lots of fruit. Squirting cucumber, (Ecballium elaterium), trailing herbaceous plant in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). Sea cucumbers have been used as a food source and medicinal ingredient in Asian and Middle Eastern countries for centuries. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. This would do really well on a warm wall but I am not sure it would deserve such a special place considering its modest aesthetic beauty. squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber, when ripe, it squirts a stream of mucilaginous liquid containing its seeds (few meters) X X X-20: 1: Euphorbia bubalina 2006 dendriform decorative succulent--10: 1: Gladiolus palustris 2010 very rare Gladiolus with smaller growth, hydrophilous, extra decorative: X-30: 1: Nicotiana tabacum 2010 Great as a snack or as an addition to salads. Synonyms * cuke (informal) Derived terms * Armenian cucumber () * cool as a cucumber * exploding cucumber * squirting cucumber Related terms * (l) (cucumber-shaped) See also * courgette * gherkin * marrow * pickle * … Plants can produce up to 100 fruits on a single vine. In addition to a spiky exterior, the 2-inch exploding cucumber peels open suddenly to propel its seeds several feet. It grows wild from El Salvador to Colombia and Venezuela. They then forcibly eject their mucilage-covered seeds in an explosive stream. The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh. I don’t normally bother too much with Latin names, but it is important here as there are two plants that are known by the name ‘exploding cucumber’, one, Cyclanthera explodens, the edible one which we will look at today, then there is the poisonous one, which you definitely shouldn’t eat, also know as the squirting cucumber, Latin name Ecballium elaterium. lost exploding crop of the incas peruvian wild cucumber. It is grown mostly in its native range, which is Southern Mexico, right through Colombia and Ecuador, but gaining popularity due to its natural resistance to fungal diseases like powdery mildew, […] ( Log Out /  For those that fancy a go at these, I would say that in their habit, they are more like mouse melons (cuca melons, Mexican gherkins, etc. ojo ciego . Ecballium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cucurbitaceae containing a single species, Ecballium elaterium, also called the squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber (not the same plant as Cyclanthera brachystachya). Very quickly they spread, more than I thought they would. Title Page from Chapter 1 of ‘Growing Chillies’. I would say that they grow about 10cm a day and they are throwing shoots in all directions now, vertically and horizontally and in every direction in between. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. exploding seed pods. 10 Chillies You Don’t Need to Plant Early, Carolina Reaper – Growing the Hottest Chilli in the World, Overwintering Chilli Plants – Some practical examples, Peppers – by Jean Andrews – A fascinating read. But, looks aren’t everything and those minute flowers become curious fruits that are curved and, on the outside edge, are covered in soft spines. Ecballium Species, Exploding Cucumber, Squirting Cucumber Ecballium elaterium. Change ). Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber family) Description. lost exploding crop of the incas peruvian wild cucumber. I needed the space so I planted them outside in a sheltered spot thinking it might be a bit too early for them, but no, they flourished. Cucumber Telegraph Improved 2.50 $ Select options; Cucumber White Wonder 1.50 $ Select options; Cucumber Yok Kao 2.00 $ Select options; Cucumis anguria / Liso Calcutta 2.50 $ Select options; Cucumis anguria / West Indian Gherkin 3.00 $ Select options; Cucumis Carolinus 2.00 $ Select options; Cucumis ficifolius 3.50 $ Select options; Cyclanthera Explodens / Exploding Cucumber The exploding cucumber is a small fruit about the size of a horse chestnut which when ripe, explodes spreading its seeds up to 12 feet. Fast-growing climbing plant 3-6m, and a member of the Cucurbitaceae family – the same vegetable family as squashes and cucumbers. Do not eat the overly ripe black colored fruits, as they are a laxative. Next year I will do better. Chinese cucumber is harvested as an immature fruit which are cooked and used as vegetables and in curries. And by ‘not very practical’ I mean that they are neither edible or very attractive! Just about to move into a new house and making a new garden. A tiny fruit developing from the one female flower in the cluster and the tiny male flowers. My only worry is that all those seeds are being scattered all over the garden and if we get a mild winter I might have more plants than I need next year. In each leaf axil is a cluster of flowers: one tiny, starry green female flower and a cluster of even smaller, male flowers, only about 4mm across (at a guess), so small you can hardly make out the anthers, and everything is in the same green as the leaves, stems and extraordinary tendrils. ( Log Out /  They were starting to strangle some beans, some ‘normal’ cucumbers, a tomato plant and a big rocoto chilli, and they are marching through some crocosmia to a flower bed. Wild Cucumber flowers are considered monoecious: both male and female flowers can be found on the same plant. Family: Cucurbitaceae (koo-ker-bih-TAY-see-ee) ... Cyclanthera explodens, which is edible, but explodes when ripe to disperse its seeds. Derived terms Noun: Armenian cucumber , cool as a cucumber , exploding cucumber , squirting cucumber , sea cucumber An advantage of being monoecious: Wild Cucumber can easily be self-fertilized. Ecballium seeds, exploding or squirting cucumber for growing in atypical garden. there was a pop, and one of them ripped itself open and threw seeds across the room, probably 3 or 4m. I have grown Cyclanthera explodens before but I first met it when I was a student at Kew Gardens where it was grown in the Order Beds along with other cucurbits. The squirting cucumber is so-called because of its unusual form of rapid plant movement. etc. the ones James Wong loves to grow), so treat them the same. Its name immediately makes you want to know more - exploding cucumber plant or squirting cucumber plant. Exploding cucumbers do pose a genuine health hazard as the seeds are ejected at great speed and can cause serious eye injuries. 8 tips on keeping your young chilli plants at the right temperature, Pimiento de Padron, Growing, Picking, Cooking and Eating, Salsa Macha – Filling, Indulgent and not too Healthy, Chillibrani Chilli Festival – Brno, Czech Republic, Slovenian Chilli Festival – Lepa Zoga Ljubljana, Light Levels, Lux and a Bright Sunny Window, Exploding Cucumbers! When ripe, the fruits pop off the end of their stems. I don’t normally bother too much with Latin names, but it is important here as there are two plants that are known by the name ‘exploding cucumber’, one, Cyclanthera explodens, the edible one which we will look at today, then there is the poisonous one, which you definitely shouldn’t eat, also know as the squirting cucumber, Latin name Ecballium elaterium. This may be a tender perennial but it is usually grown as a half hardy annual. Squirting cucumber contains poisonous A Gardening, Outdoor Lifestyle and Organic Food & Drink Blog, Articles, Tips and Notes from Schreiner's Iris Gardens, Words and pictures from an Irish garden by Jane Powers, We are working to save garden plants for people to use and enjoy today and tomorrow, An English persons experience of living and gardening in Ireland, The most fun you can have with your clothes on: Ecballium elaterium | The Biking Gardener, And another mystery plant: Fuchsia excorticata x F. magellanica. ( Log Out /  Its leaves are about 4 inches in diameter, and palmately lobed. Post a comment about this plant. Commonly known as exploding cucumber it must not be confused with the squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium) which is a low growing, Mediterranean plant with roughly hairy leaves, 1cm yellow flowers and bristly fruits that detach from their pedicels and squirt their seeds, and liquid, with deliciously violent force when ripe or when jostled. But first, a few basics. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. How long does it take for chilli seeds to germinate? At this stage you often only have to touch them but other times need to gently squeeze them laterally and the tension built up in the curved upper part is released as the sides split and it rips the fruit open, throwing the seeds across the garden. Exploding Cucumber Achocha Cyclanthera Explodens Seeds Packet of 10+ fresh homegrown seeds! Please visit our Achocha - Exploding Cucumbers. (Cyclanthera explodens), How to REALLY Control Slugs – Drink the Beer yourself, and take the Battle to them. WARNING (and this is no joke). Alternate, deeply lobed leaves 15-20 cm (6-8 in) long and 10-15 cm (4-6 in) wide. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! I sowed seeds in April and they germinated within a week (in a temp. You could imagine a couple of territorial robins picking off these fruits and playing Pugil sticks when you leave the garden and lock the back door. And when they start to grow they certainly know what to do. View gallery. Learn how your comment data is processed. The leaves are an angular heart shape and not especially attractive but positively spectacular compared to the flowers! this amazing and incredibly rare edible climbing annual is regarded as one of the true lost crops of the inca people. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Even though you know the fruits are going to pop there is still a rush of excitement at the speed and power of these little wonders and I have not tired of my little playthings yet. I started them in late March (in the southern UK), they germinated well and grew quite quickly in the greenhouse. ( Log Out /  Delicious jelly bean sized cucumbers fit for a fairy. ( Log Out /  Cyclanthera explodens is not really grown as a vegetable although the tiny fruits do taste of cucumbers. Has anything brought humankind more fun and pleasure than a garden and the internal combustion engine, […] This is not the same as the exploding cucumber (cyclanthera) which I have written about before – here […]. The plant is native to the Mediterranean region but has been introduced to other areas as a garden curiosity for its distinctive explosive fruits. exploding seed pods. Seeds are now available at our seed store. I thought it might be a bit of a sales gimmick. They pop in your mouth like a grape, exploding a sweet and sour cucumber flavor. Both of these are dangerous in their own way. The reason it is grown is for the excitement of the fruits, which rip themselves apart and fling their flat, jigsaw-piece-shaped seeds with great violence. Cold and dry weather with vicious winds did them a lot of harm and they did nothing for weeks but with some extra water they finally got their roots down and started to grow. The leaves are deeply 3(5)-lobed. (exploding cucumber), is also grown for its edible fruit, at elevations up to 2600 m. Although it is less widely cultivated than C. pedata, it is even more cool tolerant. Small, yellow flowers monoecious. Keen biker too with beautiful bike. native to peru and the high andes this is one plant that you … It is grown mostly in its native range, which is Southern Mexico, right through Colombia and Ecuador, but gaining popularity due to its natural resistance to fungal diseases like powdery mildew,… The seeds are angular and flat and they could cause harm I guess if they were to impact into your eyes but I am not that careful. Not so, I was poking around in a bowl of these which had been sat on the side for a couple of days and BAM! As the fruits mature they change colour slightly and develop a greyish hint and, along the angular corners at the top of the fruits the colour changes almost to grey and you know they are ready to POP. In fact, they have … Caterpillar Eating a Chilli Plant, taken with Samsung Galaxy S3 on Macro setting. ( Log Out /  By Amy Grant. I'm Leah, a freelance Photographer born and raised in Macon, GA, USA. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Exploding cucumbers are in the same family as "edible" cucumbers, but they are toxic and were used as an abortifacient in the past. In addition Casabanana and African horned cucumber are classified as melons. Another very rarely seen plant that really should have a lot more recognition. This unusual adaptation is thought to aid in seed dispersal. I spent 8 years in the wild west and this is my photo journal on life, love, and the spirit of Wyoming. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. No, today’s plant is also a cucurbit but is from Central America and is related to a vegetable (strictly and botanically a fruit) called achocha (Cyclanthera pedata). Seeds are not available for the Exploding Cucumber. If you leave them to grow to their full size (about 3cm, or just over an inch), then they can and will explode black seeds at you from a long way off, and so fast that you won’t see them and they will get in your eyes. Cyclanthera explodens, doing what it does best – going mad! native to peru and the high andes this is one plant that you … Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. beach plum seacoast shrub of northeastern North America having showy white blossoms and edible purple fruit I always seek out the unusual, and always shun vegetables with names like ‘Bountymore’ ‘Harvest King’, ‘Moneymaker’ and the like, mostly these are going to be prolific, quick, but correspondingly bland. ojo ciego . Easy to grow. Despite the potential hazards, the exploding cucumber is bound to be a favourite with extreme gardeners everywhere N.B. The horned melon is a vining annual that can be grown practically anywhere, provided a warm season. Every year I grow at least a few things that are just for fun and not very practical. Annual, herbaceous, 2-4 m (6-13 ft) tall, climbing with tendrils. These are quite happy outdoors once they have been given a warm start, in fact you would be mad to let them take over your greenhouse unless you had unlimited space. ( Log Out /  Another very rarely seen plant that really should have a lot more recognition. The first one fires its seeds out dry like shrapnel, the second one squirts them out in a gooey stream like a, well, like say a water pistol. Description. That said, this isn’t really a complaining, they are a food plant, and a bountiful one, so it is my fault for not giving them enough space to flourish properly. etc. These can be grown outside in the UK and are vigorous climbers that have odd fruits that vary in size from 5-12cm long that can be eaten when very immature and taste of cucumbers of left to mature when they can be stuffed or grilled and (unlikely as it sounds) taste of peppers. Flavor: Varies but may have a slightly sour taste. I got my seeds this year from Real Seeds and they warn to wear goggles when doing this. of about 20c) and they were planted out in late May by which time they were already 60cm high. Gojenje Cilijev – Growing Chillies in Slovenia, Growing Chillies Book is now published in Czech language, Chillibrani Chilli Festival – Brno, Czech Republic. You can also eat the fruit. Exploding Cucumber (Cyclanthera explodens) Technically a gourd, this fruit is edible, but it puts up a fight. These are another example of my addiction to growing odd things, not just odd chillies, but odd cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs etc. exploding cucumber burst open when ripe and spray out their seeds at con-siderable speed. They are tasty both raw and cooked – like sweet green peppers. Latin: Melothria pendula. Do Horticultural Shows Need to Modernise? cucumber and African horned cucumber are not Cucurbita species. Male flowers in small racemes and female flowers solitary in axils of leaves.

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