"Crazy Cucumber" as an affordable and low-maintenance garden decoration

The name "crazy cucumber" is funny and conjures up a variety of associations. It's actually Echinocystis spp., a plant in the gourd family brought back from North America by explorers. This beautiful vine, with its cloud of airy cream-colored flowers and unusual fruit resembling a spiky ball, was initially considered a weed. Only later did gardeners discover its wonderful ornamental properties, allowing them to enrich any landscape.

Characteristics of the Mad Cucumber

How did this vine get such a unique name? Actually, Echinocystis translates as "prickly bladder." Its fruit is an oval ball covered in soft spines. When ripe, when mucus accumulates within it and begins to press on the shell, it releases seeds, producing a powerful explosion. The seeds scatter across the garden and germinate.

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When growing, you need to take into account some features:

1. The vine grows quickly and spreads haphazardly. Therefore, without proper care, it can take over an entire area within a 6-8 meter radius in just 1-2 seasons.
2. The second point: despite its name, the fruit, which resembles the edible and familiar cucumber, is not edible. Therefore, it's best to keep it away from children, who are prone to tasting everything.
3. The third positive quality of the "mad cucumber" is its ability to decorate any unsightly corner of the garden, covering it with a wonderful green hedge.
4. The vine's fourth characteristic is the honey-like aroma emanating from its flowers. This attracts bees, increasing the pollination of garden plants and is prized by beekeepers.

When collecting the fruits for seeds, wear safety glasses to avoid being hit by an exploding "bomb." An interesting feature: the plant is completely disease-free and is not susceptible to any pests.

Using Echinocystis as a decoration

Using vertical supports, you can create a variety of landscaping options to enhance any garden space. "Crazy Cucumber" begins blooming in June and delights with its lush, airy mass until September. In addition to a fine cloud of flowers, it boasts beautifully carved leaves, and, studded with spiky bubbles, it delights guests.

The plant is easy to maintain, but there are still some growing considerations: it dislikes drafts, prefers moderate watering, and thrives in partial shade and full sun. When planting this vine, keep in mind that its fragrance can cause headaches. Therefore, it's not always suitable for decorating a gazebo where people often relax.

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To use Echinocystis as an element of landscape design, you need to consider:

• grows quickly in height and can reach 6 meters;
• With its lush green floral mass, it can cover unsightly spots on the site, which can be used to invite an exotic guest into your garden;
• The vine's growth rate is simply astronomical—in the shortest possible time, it can create a lush vertical carpet, clinging to any support.

You can use this vine to decorate your garden, creating a living wall anywhere by installing vertical supports. Don't worry about it taking over your space. To get rid of this pesky plant, simply cut off the stems to prevent the prickly bladder from bursting, which disperses the seeds.