Armenian cucumber, Snake cucumber
Cucumis melo var. flexuosus

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A pumpkin family plant. The fruit are many times longer than wide. It is usually furrowed and often curved. They are 20-90 cm long by 3-8 cm wide. They are softly hairy when young.

There are about 25 Cucumis species.

Where it is found

It is a Mediterranean climate plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Armenia, Asia, Caucasus, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Europe, India, Japan, Lebanon, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The fruit can be eaten raw. They can be added to salads with salt and vinegar. They are also used in preserves, cooked in curries or pickled. The seeds are eaten.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Acur, Fakoos, Fakkous, Feggous, Kari, Mekti, qitha, Serpent melon, Snake melon, Tharr, Uri, Yard-long cucumber

Synonyms

Cucumis melo Flexuosus group; Cucumis flexuosus Linn.; Cucumis melo-flexuosus Naud.;