Each ovoid fruit measures approximately 4 cm in length and 3 cm in width and turns from green to yellow when ripe. Just like the cucumber, the plant produces long stems up to 2 m long which cling to trellises and supports by means of tendrils. Its trilobed leaves are hairy and its flowers are a beautiful bright yellow.
Growing West Indian cucumbers requires a site protected from the winds, warm and sunny and, preferably, loose, fresh, humus-rich and well-drained soil. Keep it away from members of the Solanaceae family (tomato, eggplant, potato) with which it does not get along well. The fruits are harvested while still green throughout the summer. Very young fruits the size of a walnut can be candied in vinegar.
Number of days for harvest: 70
