Crazy cucumber - what is this plant and why is it grown?

The mad cucumber plant arouses interest by its name, and yet it is also an amazingly useful and beautiful representative of the flora. It belongs to the perennial representatives of the Pumpkin, prefers to grow in warm climates. Let's get acquainted with the description of the plant, the features of its cultivation and use.

a brief description of

In Latin, the plant is called Ecballium elaterium, there are also names of echinocystis, hedgehog bladder, prickly fruit. In the picture you can see what this vine looks like.

Distinctive features of rabid cucumbers:

• The root of the cucumber is powerful, fleshy.
• Stems lying, no more than 150 cm long.
• The leaves are large, toothed, pubescent, arranged alternately, the lower part is gray, the upper one is green.
• The flowers are light yellow, they can either be located in a group (the inflorescence resembles a panicle), or grow alone. They have the correct shape and pleasant aroma, sit on a long peduncle.
• The plant is monoecious, there are small male flowers and paired female flowers.
• The fruit is oblong, berry-like, covered with bristles. The average length is 5-10 cm.

The flowering period lasts from July to September. Crazy cucumber has an amazing growth rate: in just a month, this loach can occupy an area of ​​more than 5 m².

Distribution area

The historical homeland of the plant is North America. From there, thanks to the representatives of the scientific world, echinocystis came to Europe, where he took root.

Mad cucumber is found in southern regions, such as:

• Crimea;
• Caucasus;
• the Mediterranean coast;
• the countries of Asia Minor.

Prefers light sandy or clayey soils, also feels comfortable near water bodies. It is not of particular value to farmers, it is considered a weed.

Name history

Why does mad cucumber have such a strange name from a botanical point of view? The reason is simple: if you lightly touch the ripe fruits, they will scatter in all directions, as if they will explode from the inside. This is due to the strongest internal pressure, which is almost 8 atmospheres. In this case, the seeds can fly over 10 meters. Cucumbers finally ripen in September, therefore, when passing next to the bushes, you need to be very careful not to get “under fire”.

Such an unusual way of spreading seeds is the reason that the vine grows in a very wide range. In addition, the seeds of mad cucumber are covered with mucus, due to which they cling to the fur of animals and clothing of people, "traveling" in this way.

Benefit

Despite the fact that very few people are engaged in the cultivation of this representative of the Pumpkin, the benefits of the fruit of the "cucumber" for the human body is beyond doubt.

The plant is rich in vitamin C and also contains glycosides, certain alkaloids and carotenoids. It also contains fatty acids. The main drugs are elatericin and elaterin. However, many components of the composition are not fully understood.

In folk medicine, an unusual cucumber is used quite often. So, it will help in the following cases:

1. with constipation;
2. as a diuretic;
3. against worms;
4. as a powerful prevention of the development of cancerous tumors;
5. to fight infection;
6. with diseases of the liver, kidneys;
7. with gout, rheumatism;
8. with edema.

The plant will also be useful for malaria, sinusitis, hemorrhoids, and inflammatory processes. For medical purposes, both roots and grass, flowers are used (they are dried in the fresh air, but under an awning - exposure to sunlight is highly undesirable).For harvesting the roots, special equipment is most often used - dryers, into which pre-washed raw materials are placed.

You can store dried cucumber in a sealed container for 12 months, always separately from other raw materials and food.

Common mad cucumber is most often used in the form of an alcoholic tincture, which is used to rub the affected areas with neuralgia and rheumatism. The juice helps in the fight against hemorrhoids, constipation, worms, and also as a decongestant. For cancerous tumors, traditional healers advise the use of a decoction of roots and fruits, and for gout and wounds it is recommended to apply compresses.

Contraindications

It is unacceptable to use any preparations from the medicinal vine in the following cases:

• with diseases of the stomach, intestines;
• during pregnancy;
• with heart defects;
• for the treatment of children.

Even in the absence of contraindications in working with the plant, care must be taken, since it is poisonous. Just 0.6 g of juice can cause death!

When used in the form of compresses, the likelihood of allergies is high, so the juice is pre-diluted with water.

Growing

Wild echinocystis will feel quite comfortable in a personal plot, therefore, if desired, it can be planted as a decorative curly living decoration. It propagates by seeds, which are very similar to pumpkin and vegetable marrow seeds. The easiest way is to grow seedlings, which "move" into open ground in the spring, after the frosts have passed. This is most often done in April. The area chosen for the vine should be light and well protected from drafts.

Crazy cucumber is unpretentious, but do not forget that it is a weaving vine, so it is better to choose a place for it next to the fence. The plant is ideal for decorating gazebos, verandas, creating hedges.

The distance between adjacent bushes is about 50 cm. Regular abundant watering is recommended, and it is very desirable to feed young plantings. In this case, it will be possible to get a large number of fruits. However, so that the vine does not grow (and cucumbers, as already mentioned, grow very quickly), unripe fruits should be removed in a timely manner.

When collecting seed it is important to be careful. Cucumbers explode very powerfully, the fetus can cause bruising, so wear a protective suit and glasses. In addition, you can wrap the fruits in a bag, then after the explosion, the seeds will remain in it, and not scatter around the site.

This is the description of the mad cucumber - an amazing liana that has nothing to do with the popular garden culture.