Fat round cucumber

10 years ago

I have a cucumber plant that is growing normal looking cucumbers. But right next to it is a plant from the same seed packet that is growing fat round ball shaped cucumbers.

What's going on with the round cucumbers?

Featured Answer

theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)

8 years ago

"Melons and cucumbers are the same thing. We just typically call the
sweet round ones "melons" and the less sweet long green ones
"cucumbers." In other words, melons are cucumbers and cucumbers are
melons."

Cucumbers, melons (muskmelon, cantaloupe, honeydews, crenshaws, etc.), and watermelons are all completely different species. So no, they are not the same.

Rodney

Comments (12)

ltilton
10 years ago
Sloppy quality control at seed company
uscjusto
Original Author
10 years ago
Still edible?
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ticodxb
10 years ago
Have you tasted it? if it is edible at least it will be a pleasant surprise.
ltilton
10 years ago
Likely so. There are round cucumber varieties. Although yours looks kind of more like a squash.

Only one way to find out, tho.
seysonn
10 years ago
It could also be a melon. You can tell from the shape of leave. Cucumbers have a pointy heart shape leaves. Melon leave are more roundish. A lot of melons are edible, when young, just like cucumbers if their seeds are not bitter.
uscjusto
Original Author
10 years ago
Well I only planted cucumber seeds and have never grown melon before.

I don't even know when this fruit is ripe to eat it.
theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
10 years ago
It almost looks like a Lemon cucumber crossed with the plants that the supplier was saving for seed. Lemon cukes have a shape similar (not quite the same) as the round one in your pic but obviously the color is way off for a Lemon cuke.

And there's only one way to find out if it's edible: taste it. There's no point in waiting around as cucumbers are edible at nearly any stage.

Rodney
Elizabeth Gruben
8 years ago
Melons and cucumbers are the same thing. We just typically call the sweet round ones "melons" and the less sweet long green ones "cucumbers." In other words, melons are cucumbers and cucumbers are melons. There are several round and oval "cucumbers" and it looks like a seed from one was mixed in with your "regular" cucumbers. I am growing the same round cucumbers (on purpose) from small plants I got at the nursery. It looks like this might be a Carosello of some type. "fasano" I think. Makes wonderful sweet pickle or relish or is great in cold salad with mint/stevia/yogurt dressing.
Elizabeth Gruben
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
They are the same genus. Look it up: Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and melons (Cucumis melo). Watermelons and citron both belong to the Citrullus genus, so you are right about that one. Oh, and this one will grow to about 3-4 pounds. Looks like about 2 pounds now?
farmerdill
8 years ago
Same genus but different species with cukes and cantelopupes. C. melo (Muskmelon) subspecies inodorus Honetdews , spanish melons etc) C. sativus (cucumber) , C. metuliferus ( horned melon), C. anguria ( West Indian Gherkin), C. homofructus (aardvark pumpkin), C. myriocarous (Paddy melon). A genus can have species with quite different Characteristics.

The genus solanum as a example covers some 1500 species including the common Irish potato and the eggplant.
noinwi
8 years ago
Might it be one of the round zucchini varieties?