1. Cucumbers

2. Cucumbers belong to the gourd family with pumpkins, zucchini, watermelon and other squashes. Cucumbers grow on a creeping vine that grows up trellises using thin spiraling tendrils. The plant has large leaves that form a canopy over the cucumbers.

3. Cucumbers Cucumbers are cylindrical with tapered ends. Some cucumbers, called slicers, are grown to be eaten fresh while others, called picklers, are grown for pickling.

4. Cucumbers Cucumbers have enclosed seeds and develop from a flower which botanically speaking classifies them as a fruit. However, much like their cousins the tomatoes and squash, they are perceived, prepared and eaten like a vegetable.

5. Cucumbers Cucumbers are believed to have originated in India and have been cultivated there for over 3,000 years. They made their way into North American agriculture by the mid-16th century.

6. Cucumbers Cucumbers are a very good source of Vitamin C and fiber. They are low in calories and therefore a dieter’s dream.

7. Cucumbers Fun Fact The term “cool as a cucumber” comes from the fact that the inner temperature of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside air. This is because they are 90% water.

8. Cucumbers http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/cucumber.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber Children’s Literature about Cucumbers I’ll Meet You at the Cucumbers by Lilian Moore and Sharon Wooding Cucumber Soup by Vickie Leigh Krudwig Cool as a Cucumber by Michael Morpurgo and Sally Smallwood