Lemon cucumber is a round cucumber fruit of similar size to a lemon which turns yellow when ripe. It is a bitterless cucumber, sweet with thick skin and has seeds. Lemon cucumber cultivar is an open-pollinated heirloom variety, possibly the oldest domesticated cucumber which is at least 130 years old. This cucumber derives its name from its apparent resemblance to the good old lemon in size and shape.
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What is Lemon Cucumber?
Botanically speaking, lemon cucumber is a bonafide member of the Cucumis sativus species, sometimes more pointedly identified as Cucumis sativus ‘Lemon’, belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. The Cucurbitaceae family or Gourd family produces other familiar fruits which have long been used as vegetables in the kitchen. We have in mind here some common family members such as gourds, pumpkins, squashes and melons.
According to the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS) at the University of California, there are nearly 100 varieties of cucumbers in the world. Of these, lemon cucumbers along with English, Garden, Persian, Armenian, and Mini are considered the common ones. We have written here about burpless cucumbers which are low in the compound cucurbitacin which triggers digestive problems in some people. Lemon cucumbers are low in cucurbitacin and are thus bitterless and considered burpless.
Lemon cucumber is a very old cultivar, as earlier mentioned.According to some sources, lemon cucumber arrived in the United States from Australia in 1894 courtesy of Mr Samuel Wilson. The cucumber appears in an 1894 catalog by Samuel Wilson, which is part of an extensive seed catalog collection of the Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University. Although a fruit, lemon cucumber along with other cucumbers is firmly a vegetable in the minds of everyday users. Even so, the 1894 catalog describes the cucumber as a “popular vegetable”.
Is Lemon Cucumber a Distinct Species?
Although today the lemon cucumber is firmly designated Cucumis sativus, there were earlier attempts, as far back as 1925, to designate it a distinct species on the basis of its round shape. Apart from the round fruit, other scholars were of the view that only a few genes distinguish the lemon cucumber from other cucumber cultivars.
For example, R. W. Robinson from the Horticulture Department at Cornell University, New York, identifies some few genes that distinguish lemon cucumber from regular cucumbers. He states that Gene m is linked to the cucumber having male and female reproductive system on the same plant (andromonoecy). This same gene is also associated with the round fruit shape of the lemon cucumber.
While regular cucumbers have 3 fruit locules (cavities with seeds), the lemon cucumber has 5 due to gene I. This gene also influences its shape. Furthermore, before it turns to yellow when mature, Robinson notes that the cultivar produces yellow-green immature fruit. This is associated with gene yg.
Overall, as expected, the differences between lemon cucumber and regular cucumber are genetic, however, these differences have not made the lemon cucumber a distinct cucumber species. According to Robinson, what remains unresolved is the parentage of the lemon cucumber and the origins and derivation of its unique combination of associated characteristics.
Lemon Cucumber Characteristics
The following is a summary of lemon cucumber characteristics.
| Item | Description |
| Botanic name | Cucumis sativus ‘Lemon’ |
| Family name | Cucurbitaceae, Gourd Family |
| Cultivar | Open-pollinated, heirloom |
| Type | Slicing cucumber |
| Size | Generally small, size of lemon |
| Shape | Round/oval |
| Fruit locales | 5 instead of 3 |
| Color | Yellow-green when immature, Yellow when ripe |
| Skin & Flesh | Thick skin, lime-green tender flesh, crisp |
| Flavor | Sweet, bitterless |
| Burpless | Yes. Easy to digest |
| Seeds | Handful of seeds at core |
| Plant | Vigorous fruit production |
| Maturity | Approx 70 days |
Lemon Cucumber Seeds
Cucumber seeds of the lemon cultivar are widely accessible in the United States. The cucumbers themselves are fairly easy to grow and follow generally the same cultivation culture as ordinary cucumbers. The following are lemon cucumber seed sources in North America.
| Lemon Cucumber Seeds by West Coast Seeds – based in Canada, West Coast Seeds is an established source of cucumber seeds of the lemon cultivar. The seeds from this supplier propagate lemon cucumber fruit that is mature in 70 days. The smallest pack of 1g has 50 seeds and the biggest of 500g has as many as 25000 seeds. The cucumber plant produces a robust long vine that will perform best on a trellis or fence. To keep the plant highly productive, the cucumbers must be picked frequently and not let to ripen on the vine. View on West Coast Seeds. |
| Lemon Cukes Seeds by Amazon – lemon cuke seeds can alternatively be sourced via Amazon. These seeds we found on Amazon are by Isla’s Garden Seeds Company out of the United States. Each packet is sold with 125 seeds suitable for growing in U.S. hardiness zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. View on Amazon. |
| Lemon Cucumber Seeds by Territorial Seed – these open pollinated cucumber seeds produce a lemon variety that is significantly different from the other ones we have so far considered. This variety produces apple-shaped vs lemon-shaped cucumbers which have lemon-colored skin vs yellow looking skin. The cucumber also has a substantial amount of seeds although it is still a bitterless and sweet cucumber in flavor. Territorial Seed also offers the option to get transplants/seedlings instead of seeds. View on Territorial Seed. |
| Seeds Savers Exchange Seeds – Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) is a U.S. based seed non-profit organization concerned with the saving of heirloom seed varieties. SSE is a supplier of lemon cucumber seeds available in quantities of about 700 seeds per oz or 28 grams. SSE lemon cucumber seeds are listed as rust and drought resistant. Fruit is ready for harvest between 58 and 70 days. View on SSE. |
| Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds – one more place to find lemon cucumber seeds in North America is Baker Creek. This supplier offers a minimum of 25 seeds which produce yellow looking cucumber which has prickly skin and dense sweet tasting flesh. The cucumber also has a good amount of seeds which, when harvested in time, are not tough to eat. A handful of plants is capable of availing 10 to 20 lemon cucumbers for picking per day. The seeds germinate in 14 days and fruit is ready for picking in 60 days. View on Baker Creek. |
Lemon Cucumber Recipes
The primary application of lemon cukes is culinary in a variety of recipe preparations which include salads, sandwiches, juices and pickles. The following is a collection of scrumptious recipes to try out made using lemon cucumbers.
| Lemon Cucumber Pesto Recipe – this recipe calls for 3 to 4 lemon cukes which are peeled if the skin is too tough and seeded if the seeds are also tough or unwanted. Other ingredients are parmesan cheese, basil leaves (you could also experiment with basil flowers here), toasted nuts, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper among others. There is some blending involved in this recipe. The basil leaves, cheese, nuts and garlic are blended together while gradually adding olive oil. What you get in the end is the pesto which is then dressed over the earlier sliced cucumbers.This recipe takes 20 minutes to make and produces 6 servings. View Recipe. |
| Lebanese Lemon Cucumber Salad Recipe – this recipe produces a side salad which serves 4 and is ready in 20 minutes. The recipe calls for 4 to 6 cucumbers which are first scrubbed to remove the spikes off the skin. Once removed, the cucumbers are cut in half and the seeds scooped out with a spoon. The cucumbers are then chopped along with the other ingredients which are red onion and mint. In the end when all the ingredients come together including cumin seeds and red chili paste, what you have is a scrumptious salad ready to serve. View Recipe. |
| Lemon Dill Cucumber Salad Recipe – this recipe calls for regular cucumber such as the English variety. Since we are discussing lemon cucumber, it can be used here as an alternative to the green cucumber or alongside the regular cucumber for the color. Other ingredients will be lemons, vinegar, olive oil, fresh dill weed and salt for seasoning. The olive oil will cause the dill to easily adhere to the cucumber over and above contributing a mild taste. View Recipe. |
Lemon Cucumber Pickles Recipes
Lemon cucumbers can be pickled just as regular mini cucumbers. Pickling is one common way of making use of high yields associated with cucumbers. Pickled cucumbers can be stored for months. The following are some recipes to try out that produce delicious pickled cucumbers using the lemon variety.
| Easy Lemon Cucumber Pickles Recipe – required for this recipe are 5 lemon cukes, The cucumbers are sliced and placed in a glass jar into which the pickling brine will be added. The brine is made of water, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and black peppercorns. This combination is boiled first and allowed to cool. This preparation takes 15 minutes. Once the brine is added to the cucumbers and the jar is sealed tightly, it is left to sit for 2 days in the refrigerator. View Recipe. |
| Lemon Cucumber Brined Pickles Recipe – this recipe will make use of 3 lemon cucumbers. The cucumbers are sliced into thick slices which are then cut in half or quarters. The cucumbers should not be too thin to avoid them becoming squishy. Other ingredients to go with the cucumbers will be garlic cloves and sweet onion rings. The brine will be made using apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, sea salt, mustard seed (for a hint of flavor) and black pepper among other items on the list. Just as the other recipe above, the jar with the cucumber slices submerged in the brine will be left to sit for some 2 days for the flavors to infuse. View Recipe. |
| Cucumber Lemon Pickles Recipe – unlike the foregoing pickle recipes calling for 48 hours of waiting, this recipe will require the patience to wait 4 to 6 weeks for better matured cucumber pickles. Instead of regular cucumbers, use lemon cucumbers in this recipe as an alternative. The recipe produces about six 500 ml jars, and takes a total of 30 minutes to make. You will need approximately 8 lemon cucumbers, red peppers, white vinegar, sugar and fresh lemon juice as well as bay leaves among other ingredients. Lemon cukes will need a thorough scrub to remove the spikes from the skin before use. View Recipe. |
Lemon Cucumber Juice Recipes
| Refreshing Cucumber Lemonade Recipe – this recipe makes a delicious summer cucumber juice that serves 4 glasses. In place of using regular cucumbers, lemon cucumbers will be used. Since these may be spiked lemon cucumbers, they must be thoroughly scrubbed first. The recipe takes a total 50 minutes to make, inclusive of 30 minutes for chilling. Other ingredients for the refreshing juice are water, white sugar, and fresh juice from six lemons. The first step is to make the syrup in a saucepan which is then cooled in the refrigerator. The cucumbers are blended and strained for the liquid as additional steps. View Recipe. |
| Simple Cucumber Juice Recipe – follow this recipe to make a simple lemon cucumber juice. This recipe calls for English cucumbers. In place of these cucumbers, you can use lemon cucumbers. Other ingredients are lemon zest and fresh mint. The recipe takes only 5 minutes and the juice is ready to drink immediately. Scrub the skin of the lemon cukes and cut them into pieces. The cucumbers are blended together with the other ingredients for 2 minutes. The blended beverage is run through a strainer to remove the bits. Take note that the juice oxidizes quickly due to air. It must thus be consumed immediately or kept in an air-tight container. View Recipe. |
Conclusion
Lemon cucumber is an heirloom cucumber cultivar of the species Cucumis sativus. It has a history going as far back as the late 1800s. The cucumber was introduced to the United States from Australia. Today, it is widely cultivated in home gardens across the United States, thanks to wide availability of seeds and ease of growing it. The main distinguishing features of the lemon cucumber from regular burpless cucumbers is its color and shape. Lemon cucumbers are mostly used raw in a variety of culinary applications which include salads, juices, and pickles.
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