13 Cucumber Varieties You Might Not Know About

The most common cucumber you will find in U.S. grocery stores is the American slicing cucumber. They usually have many seeds and a medium-thick skin. You'll most likely also spot the English cucumber sitting on a grocery store shelf right next to the American cucumbers. English cucumbers are commonly shrink-wrapped in plastic to protect their delicate skin, which is thinner and easier to bruise. American cucumbers are usually coated with wax for protection, but English cucumbers are not — hence the plastic. 

English cucumbers grow about 14 inches long and 1.5 to 2 inches wide. The plants grow in vines and are commonly propped up with a trellis. Many people refer to English cucumbers as "burpless" because they are considered easier to digest than their thick-skinned relative, the American cucumber. Due to the thin nature of the English cucumber's skin, they don't need to be peeled before use. 

They are often considered seedless, containing less and smaller seeds than their counterpart, making them a more convenient option in many recipes. English cucumbers are a great addition in any raw food dish or salad, especially Asian-inspired meals like a refreshing cucumber kimchi salad. They're also a superb cucumber variety to use in beverages like cocktails, mocktails, and smoothies. 

Parisian gherkin cucumbers grow quite small and are usually picked when only 2 to 4 inches long. The plant itself only gets up to one foot high, so they are easy to grow in any garden bed or container pot. Parisian gherkin cucumber plants are often a favorite among gardeners due to their disease resistance. The plant can grow along the ground, but it's often recommended to prop them up in a cage or trellis.

This interesting little cucumber is very versatile and often used as both a slicing and pickled cucumber. Parisian gherkin cucumbers can be eaten raw, as they are quite crisp and delicious, but they are also a great candidate to turn into crunchy tiny pickles. Usually, you'll see gherkins pickled whole instead of sliced, and they're often used as a garnish for sandwiches or a tasty addition to a charcuterie board. 

Lemon cucumbers get their name because they look like a lemon, but they don't taste like one at all. In fact, lemon cucumbers have a mild cucumber flavor, just like the classic English or American varieties. Yellow in color and round in size, they grow to be almost the same size and shape as a lemon. When you cut one open, you'll see white flesh surrounding many large seeds swimming in a light green goo. 

More of a unique heirloom variety, you'll probably only find lemon cucumbers at farmer's markets or growing in your garden if you can find some seeds. Younger lemon cucumbers have a lighter and thinner skin, while the older ones tend to be a darker yellow and have a thicker outer layer, but taste sweeter and crunchier. Due to their round nature and seedy insides, it's standard practice to cut lemon cucumbers into wedges like you would an apple, instead of slices like a classic cucumber. You can eat them on their own, or add them to salads or other recipes that call for cucumber for an extra touch of flair — perfect for impressing friends at your next potluck party. 

At first glance, you might think the Brown Russian cucumber is actually a misplaced brown russet potato. This unique heirloom variety is actually from Ukraine, not Russia, and has brown-speckled skin and a plump body that reaches almost 3 inches wide. It can grow up to 8 inches long, but the flavor is best when it reaches around 5 to 7 inches in length. If you harvest it around this time, you'll get a well-rounded, sweet cucumber with no bitter taste. The more you pick, the more you get, since harvesting encourages the plant to grow more cucumbers.

When sliced, the inside of a Brown Russian cucumber contains an abundance of white flesh that surrounds tiny little seeds. The texture is lovely and perfectly crispy. Because of that, it makes a great ingredient in fresh food dishes or any recipe you would normally use a cucumber. 

The Crystal Apple cucumber gets its name because when it's ready to harvest, it looks like a Granny Smith apple — same size, shape, and color. It has a sweet, juicy taste, just like apples, too. Inside, you'll find soft, creamy white flesh and a large core of big seeds. These tiny, oval-shaped cucumbers only grow up to about 3 inches long. The skin is thin enough to take a big bite of it whole, just like biting into an apple. You can also cut it into wedges and eat it raw or added into recipes.

This rare heirloom variety is hard to find these days, and some think it may almost be extinct. It's believed that Crystal Apple cucumbers came from China. However, they were introduced to the U.S. in 1930 by the Australian company Arthur Yates and Co. If you can find some seeds, you should try growing them in your garden or container pots. You'll find they are very prolific and the perfect snack eaten fresh off the vine.       

Armenian cucumbers have a deceiving name — they are not actually cucumbers. In fact, they're a variety of ribbed musk melon that look and taste so much like cucumber that they've kept the name. They even have a similar nutrition profile compared to cucumbers, as they're also rich in vitamins A, C, and K, and potassium. There are several different Armenian cucumber varieties, ranging from light green to dark green colors, and some with alternating colored stripes.

Armenian cucumbers go by many names, including snake cucumber, yard long cucumber, and cucumber melon. They're a highly admired crop in Armenia, where it's been given the name metki, and are commonly spotted in many home gardens. The fruits first sprout as fuzzy, tiny cukes, then grow big and long and can get up to 3 feet in length! For the best flavor, it's generally recommended to harvest them when they reach 8 to 10 inches long. Longer than that and you're left with a bitter cucumber with thicker skin and lots of seeds.

Armenian cucumbers are tasty in fresh salads and pasta salads, or other raw meals like sandwiches or a veggie plater to dip into hummus or guacamole. The skin is thin enough that it doesn't need to be peeled before consumption. They also are a delicious ingredient in grilled veggie kabobs. 

Did you know you can eat a sea cucumber? Well, you can, but does that mean that you would want to? Technically, vegetarians should avoid this type of cucumber, since sea cucumbers are not a relative of the vining fruit, but are actually marine mammals that crawl around on the sea floor and look similar in appearance to a slug. They're considered Chinese seafood cuisine and have been incorporated into Asian dishes for the past 170 years. 

Sea cucumbers are also used in traditional Chinese medicine for health issues like arthritis, cancer, and impotence. In addition, they're high in protein, antioxidants, and other nutrients, including Vitamin A, B2, B3, as well as calcium and magnesium (via Healthline). Sea cucumbers also contain compounds that have been shown to have potential health benefits, like supporting heart and liver health, as well as potent antimicrobial properties.

It turns out sea cucumbers are considered a luxury food item in Asia, costing a whopping $3,000 per kilogram. They are sometimes used fresh, but more often, they are used dried, then rehydrated, and put into cooked food dishes like soups, stews, and stir-fries. They can also be consumed raw or pickled. They don't have much flavor, so they're often dressed up with sauces and spices. Their alluring nature has led to many species being overfished, so if you choose to indulge in this delicacy, make sure to source sustainably.