West Indian Gherkin

Where does West Indian Gherkin grow?

Found in: Africa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central Africa, Central America, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Eswatini, France, Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malawi, Marquesas, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Norfolk Island, North America, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, United States, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are about 25 Cucumis species. There is an original bitter kind growing wild in Africa.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Growing West Indian Gherkin

Cultivation: Plants are grown from seed.

Edible Uses: The young prickly fruit are peeled and eaten raw. They are also boiled and served with hot pepper sauce. They can be added to soups or made into pickles. Some kinds have sweet fruit. The young leaves are eaten cooked. The fruit can be dried and stored after the seeds are removed They can store for a year. Caution: Many kinds in Africa are bitter.

Nutrition Info

References

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