Cyclanthera brachystachya

Exploding cucumber
	Foliage and fruit (cultivated)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Embryophytes
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Spermatophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Genus:	Cyclanthera
Species:	C. brachystachya
Binomial name
	Cyclanthera brachystachya; (DC.) Cogn.
Synonyms
	Cyclanthera explodens Naudin

Cyclanthera brachystachya, the exploding cucumber (but not to be confused with Ecballium elaterium), in the cucurbit or gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), is a herbaceous vine usually grown for its curiosity value, but the fruit is also edible.^[1]

Exploding cucumber (Cyclanthera explodens) in slow motion

Distribution

It is native from Guatemala south to Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.^[1]

Description

It is a scrambling or trailing annual plant growing up to 3 m long, with hairless stems. The leaves are 5–10 cm diameter, with three or five lobes, and a 3 cm petiole. The unusual fruit are 2–4 cm long, curved but bilaterally symmetrical, bulbous and spiny; they explode when ripe to disperse the 7–9 mm wide seeds.^[2] The plant is monoecious, producing both male and female flowers on the same plant in mid-summer.^[2]

Cultivation

It is propagated by its puzzle-piece-shaped seed, and grown in conditions similar to other cucurbits like cucumbers and melons. It prefers warm to hot climates with regular watering. Once established the vine can grow quickly up to 3–5 m. Although preferably grown over some kind of support, it can also be grown along the ground.