The Many Types Of Cucumbers (And Their Uses)
Cucumbers are an absolute joy to grow in our garden. They are impressive plants that can grow incredibly fast. They also come in a wide range of types, from 14″ long European cucumbers, to 4″ pickling varieties.
In this article, I will help you understand the many cucumber types and how they differ from each other. This information should help you make the best choice when picking out cucumber seeds to grow, or when shopping for fresh cucumbers at the market.
Pollination Types
As a gardener, the first thing I want to know is how a cucumber plant will be pollinated. Generally speaking, cucumber plants are pollinated by insects. This differs from some other crops, like tomatoes or peppers, where the flowers can be pollinated by the wind.
Cucumber plants have both male and female flowers. For pollination to occur, both types of flower must be blooming simultaneously in the same vicinity.
Pollination is (usually) required for a cucumber plant to bear fruit, so understanding which type of cucumbers you’re growing is important. Each type has a good use case, so which type you choose to grow will depend on your growing environment and goals.
- Monoecious. Monoecious (pronounced maa-nee-shuhs) cucumbers produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. This means that the plants are capable of self pollinating without the need for another plant nearby. Plants typically produce many male flowers for each female flower. The result is a lower overall yield that is spread out over a long duration. If you prefer a long harvest window and only have space for 1 or 2 plants, monoecious cucumber varieties are a great choice.
- Gynoecious. Gynoecious (pronounced guy-nee-shuhs)cucumber varieties only produce female flowers. In order to be pollinated, a monoecious variety must be planted nearby to provide pollen. Gynoecious varieties typically produce larger overall yields within a smaller harvest window. This makes them a great choice if you plan to preserve your harvests.
- Parthenocarpic. Parthenocarpic cucumbers do not require pollination to produce their fruits. This means that female flowers are able to grow a fruit without any pollen from a male flower. When the flowers are not pollinated, the fruits will be seedless. If they are pollinated by nearby male flowers, the fruits will contain seeds. Since seedless cucumbers are desirable, it is usually important to protect parthenocarpic cucumbers from insects by growing in a greenhouse or other enclosed environment.
Improving pollination
If your cucumber plants are not producing fruits, you may need to help them pollinate more effectively. The first step is to learn how to identify male vs female cucumber flowers:
- Female cucumber flowers are usually yellow and grow on a thick, longer stalk that has a small bulge on it. This is the ovary of the flower, and will eventually grow into the fruit when successfully fertilized. Female flowers are often larger than male flowers, and typically begin blooming 10+ days after male flowers bloom (on the same plant).
- Male cucumber flowers are typically yellow and grow on a short, thin stalk. There is no bulge in the stalk, and the flowers are often smaller than female flowers. Male flowers typically bloom at least 10 days before any female flowers begin blooming (on the same plant). Male flowers are much more numerous than female flowers, usually between 10-20X more on a given plant.
Remember, male flowers provide the pollen to pollinate female flowers, making fruit production possible on monoecious cucumber varieties. However, if your plants are parthenocarpic, the male flowers can be removed to ensure seedless, sweet cucumbers.
To improve pollination, you can try hand-pollinating your cucumber plants. This is usually not necessary when growing outdoors, as pollinators will do this work for you. But in a hoop house or greenhouse, you may get better results by hand-pollinating (or growing parthenocarpic varieties).
To do this, use a cotton swab or paint brush to gather pollen from opened male flowers. Then, gently brush the pollen onto opened female flowers. It is ideal to do this once per day while the flowers are blooming to ensure the pollen is accepted by the female flowers, leading to successful fruiting.
Cucumber Shapes, Sizes, and Flavors
With the different pollinating types covered, let’s move on to the actual cucumber fruits. What are the main types in terms of size, shape, and flavor?
American Cucumbers
| Color | Dark green |
| Skin | Very thick, bumpy |
| Length | 7-9 inches |
| Flavor | Slightly bitter skin, mild flesh |
| Buy seeds | “Gateway” or “Salad Bush“ |
American slicing cucumbers are known for having the thickest skin of all cucumber types. This makes them great for growing outdoors in an open setting, as the cucumbers are resistant to pest damage and drying out on the vine. American cucumbers are also on the longer side, generally ranging from 7-9″ in length when mature.
The thicker skin also tends to have bumps and spines, and can often be bitter. Given these traits, American cucumbers are almost always peeled before eating for the best experience.
European Cucumbers
| Color | Dark green |
| Skin | Thin and smooth |
| Length | 12-14 inches |
| Flavor | Mild and fresh, crunchy |
| Buy seeds | “Early Pride” or “Poniente“ |
If you want to grow one of the largest cucumbers, European cukes should be on your list. These cucumbers average around 14″ in length! They are great for fresh eating or adding to salads.
The skin of European cucumbers is very thin, meaning they can dry out quickly. At the grocery store, you’ll usually see these types of cucumbers packaged in shrink-wrapped plastic to protect them from dehydration. They also have very few seeds.
If you decide to grow European cucumbers, it is best to do so in an enclosed structure like a greenhouse. A protected environment can help prevent damage from pests.
Asian cucumbers
| Color | Green or white |
| Skin | Medium-thin and bumpy |
| Length | 9-12 inches |
| Flavor | Less bitterness, mild flavor |
| Buy seeds | “Sashimi” or “Itachi” (White variety) or “Tasty Jade“ |
Asian cucumbers offer a great mid-ground between American slicers and European cucumbers. These long (up to 12″) fruits have a medium-thick skin, helping to protect them from damage outdoors. However, the skin is still thin enough to enjoy without peeling.
Asian cucumbers also tend to have a less bitter skin, making them easier for some to digest. These varieties will benefit from trellising to help keep them straight and free from disease.
Pickling Cucumbers
| Color | Yellow, light green, or dark green |
| Skin | Medium thickness, bumpy |
| Length | 3-5 inches |
| Flavor | Fresh and sweet, excellent for canning |
| Buy seeds | “Boston” or “Max Pack” or “Gershwin“ |
If canning or quick-pickling is your goal, you’ll want to grow some pickling cucumbers. These are among the shortest cucumber types, usually between 3-4″ long. Pickling cukes are great for both fresh eating and preserving thanks to a fresh flavor and crisp texture.
If you want to make homemade sweet gherkins, you’ll want to seek out European cucumber types. These varieties have many more spines on their skin and can be harvested while they are very small for making “baby” pickles.
Snacking Cucumbers
| Color | Green |
| Skin | Very thin, spineless |
| Length | 3-5 inches |
| Flavor | Low bitterness, crunchy and fresh |
| Buy seeds | “Qwerty” or “Katrina“ |
Snacking or “cocktail” cucumber varieties are usually picked before reaching full maturity, around 3-4″ in length. These are typically known for the best snacking experience with a thin skin, fresh flavor, and crunchy bite.
If you plan on growing cocktail cucumbers, you may wish to do so in a greenhouse to protect them from cucumber beetles. Once harvested, it is important to protect them from dehydration by wrapping them in a sealed container to preserve moisture.
Specialty Cucumbers
If you want to try something a bit more adventurous, why not stray outside of the world of “true” cucumbers? There are many specialty cucumber-like plants that are just as easy (or easier) to grow.
- Cucumber melons (Cucumis melo) are a great option for growing in hotter climates. These are not true cucumbers, but are rather part of the melon family. They are typically harvested when they reach a certain thickness, which varies by variety. Delicious flavor and widely adapted. Get seeds here.
- Lemon cucumbers are true cucumbers and have the shape and color of a lemon (yellow and round). If you love fresh cucumbers but want something with a special look, try these.
- Mexican sour gherkins (Melothria scabra) are a specialty cucumber-like fruit. They resemble a tiny watermelon and have a similar flavor to a cocktail cucumber. Try them here.
What are “burpless” cucumbers?
When Asian cucumbers were first brought to the US, they were branded as “burpless.” This is due to Asian varieties having thin skin and few seeds, leading to lower levels of cucurbitacins (compounds that can be bitter and cause digestive issues in some).
There have been studies showing that some varieties labeled “burpless” still have some bitterness and may induce burping in some individuals. There are now many cultivars that have the desired characteristic. If you are looking for a cucumber that is “bitterfree,” try any types that have thinner skin and fewer seeds.
After reading this article, I hope you have a better understanding of the many different types of cucumbers that exist. Now comes the hard part: deciding which ones to grow in your garden!
Thank you Calvin for the good information. I will print that out and keep it in my gardening book. Where to buy seeds is a big help also. I enjoy my emails from you guys.
Very informative. And I thought I knew something about cukes!