Trivia # 20 : Cucumber

• Cucumber is not a vegetable. It's a fruit.
• The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and is related to melons and squash.
• Cucumbers were believed to have originated in India and spread through Greece and Italy. They made their way into North America agriculture by the mid-16 century. Cool and moist due to their high water content. 'Cukes' belong to the same family as pumpkins, zucchini, watermelon and other squashes.
• Cucumbers are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, having been cultivated since about 8,000 B.C.
• In Roman times, the Emperor Tiberius grew cucumbers in carts, and had his slaves wheel them around to catch the sun.
• Anyone allergic to pollen or aspirin should avoid eating cucumbers. They can cause an unpleasant mouth itch.
• Cucumbers are about 95% water, and have very little nutritional value.
• Bitterness in cucumbers can be caused by any stress on the plant such as high temperature, low moisture, low soil nutrients, etc. Bitterness is also associated with fruit harvested late in the season from poor yielding, unhealthy plants.
• The inside of a cucumber can actually be up to 20 degrees F cooler than the outside temperature.