If you are passionate about different types of cucumbers, you have come to the right destination. I am also a huge fan of cucumbers, and I will share detailed information about their varieties.
Cucumbers are one of the most loved food varieties in the world. Not only because they are fresh and delicious, but they are also diverse in variety. And every variation has its unique features. Let’s discover them now!
37 Cucumber Varieties That Are Amazingly Tasty
Welcome to my informative article about cucumbers! In general, cucumbers are classified into slicing cucumbers and pickling cucumbers. Let’s learn about their outstanding features.
23 Types Of Slicing Cucumbers For Your Dishes
As the name suggests, slicing cucumbers are used for slicing and eating raw. They are all amazing varieties. Take a look at the table below to learn their most outstanding features.
1. English
English cucumber (aka hot-house, seedless, or European cucumber) features a long shape with thin spineless skin. They are about 14 inches in length and 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. It is a self-pollinating variety, and you can grow it indoors.
English cucumber is famous for its seedless flesh, making it an ideal cultivar for slicing. Another big draw is its sweet taste. You can easily chop, slice, or cut them and enjoy them raw. In contrast, it is not the best variety for pickling.
They are normally available in plastic-wrapped packing and sold in supermarkets. They also come in unwrapped packing, but you can only find these in farmer markets.
2. Diva
Diva cucumbers only give you sweetness.
Diva cucumbers have an attractive appearance and a wonderfully mild and sweet taste, and a crispy texture. Notably, it does not have any bitter notes. It is also seed-free.
You can add them to the children’s lunchbox for picnics. Serving them as crudites or enjoying them fresh are also great ideas.
Because of its delicious taste, people nominated it to be the winner of the All-America Selections award in 2002.
The skin is thin and shiny. It is about 6-8 inches long and takes 58 days to mature. In addition, this type of cucumber can stand against diseases, yellow vein virus, and powdery mildew.
3. Ashley
Ashley is a hybrid variety between Puerto Rico 40 and Marketer. People created it at the South Carolina Truck Experimental Station located in Charleston in 1956.
This variety has dark green skin with some yellow shades on the quite-thin stem. Its dark green skin has some lumps on it. The cucumbers are about 6-8 inches long. Thanks to its crunchy taste, people normally eat it fresh or use it to make pickles, salads, and sandwiches.
Another amazing feature of Ashley cucumbers is that they are easy to grow and harvest. They can also fight diseases and powdery mildew and withstand heat.
4. Muncher
Muncher is a long variety. It can reach 9 inches long and normally reach maturity in 60 days. However, people also harvest when it is 4-5 inches to make pickles, but enjoying it fresh is the best option.
This variety does not have cucurbitacin – a plant compound that creates a bitter taste. Moreover, the fruits are burpless and have no seeds at all.
It tastes tender, mild, and sweet. In terms of appearance, it has a light green color and smooth skin. If you want to grow Muncher cucumbers, you should plant them on rich soil and water them frequently.
5. Salad Bush
This delicious variety is also a winner of the All-America Selections award in 1988. It has a dark green color and can grow up to 8 inches. It is ready to harvest after 57 days on the plantation. Regarding flavor, it is mild, tender, and sweet with a crispy texture.
Most people grow Salad Bush in containers. It can stand against downy mildew, leaf spot, and mosaic virus.
6. Bush Champion
Bush Champion can reach an impressive 8-11 inches in length. The cucumbers have a straight shape and bright green color. They are very crispy.
People often grow this variety in raised beds or containers. It can fight the mosaic virus and only takes 55 days to mature. Growers love it because it is super productive and adaptable.
7. Sweet Success
Sweet Success won the All-America Selections in 1983. It is a long variety, with a length of 12-14 inches when fully mature.
These cucumbers have thin, dark, and smooth skin and contain no seeds at all. They taste mild and sweet. You don’t have to peel them before eating. You can add them to salads and other cool appetizer recipes.
If you grow this variety, you can collect the fruit in 54 days. The plants can resist powdery mildew, leaf spot, mosaic virus, and scab.
You will want to grow Sweet Success cucumbers after seeing this garden.
8. Marketer
This is a beautiful variety with dark green and smooth skin. It is medium in size, about 8-9 inches. You can pickle it or slice it to add to salads enjoyed in winter and other dishes. Marketer cucumbers also won the All-America Selections.
You can get plenty of delicious Marketer cucumbers in 55 days after plantation. It is best to grow them in warm seasons.
9. Spacemaster
Dr. Henry Munger of Cornell University invented Spacemaster cucumbers and made them available to consume in 1980. They are crispy, sweet, and not bitter at all. You can slice them to add to fresh veggies plates and green salads.
Spacemaster is about 6-9 inches long and has a light green color. You can harvest it in 65 days for slicing. If you want to pickle it, you can collect it earlier.
If you are looking for a cucumber cultivar to grow in your garden, this one is perfect because it can withstand scabs, mosaic viruses, and downy and powdery mildew.
10. Sweet Slice
There is no need to peel Sweet Slice cucumbers because they are burpless. They also have thin and dark green skin and a length of at most 12 inches. They are sweet, mild, and tender in terms of flavor. You won’t feel any bitterness when tasting them.
What is also amazing about Sweet Slice cucumbers is that they have no seed at all. They need 55-62 days to mature completely.
11. Tanja
Tanja cucumbers are also a long variety. They can grow up to 12 inches in length and have a slender shape. People usually harvest them after 60 days, but the plants can still produce crops after that.
This type has a crunchy and firm texture that will surely please your taste buds. In addition, it has the typical mild, sweet, and non-bitter flavor of cucumbers.
12. Poinsett 76
Poinsett 76 comes in the form of medium-sized cucumbers. They are about 8 inches long and have dark green skin. More amazingly, they are burpless. The white flesh inside has a crispy texture and tender taste.
It was Dr. Henry Munger who created Poinsett 76 at Cornell University. Nowadays, people use this variety for sandwiches and slicing. Making a delicious vegetable dish to complement the main dish is also a great idea.
Growing Poinsett 76 is an easy-to-grow cultivar because it can resist anthracnose, leaf spot, and powdery and downy mildew.
13. Long Green Improved
Long Green Improved cucumbers stem from an older variety: Long Green Turkey cucumbers. They originated in 1842. The fruits of this cultivar are very uniform. They are straight and have dark green skin. Their length is about 10-12 inches.
This variety is tender and crispy. You can eat it fresh, slice it and add it to salads or make pickles. Cucumber salad is a wonderful side dish for summer meals. This variety normally needs 65 days to fully mature.
14. Fanfare
If you love the adorable look of short cucumbers, go for Fanfare. It was the winner of the All-America Selections in 1994. Fanfare cucumbers are just about 8-9 inches long. They are also very slender.
This variety has the classic deep green color of cucumbers. Yet it has very sweet flesh. The fruits are ready to harvest 63 days after growing.
You can enjoy Fanfare cucumbers fresh, slice them to your salad or vegetable tray with a delicious dip. You can also mix them with onions and vinegar.
15. Armenian
Armenian cucumbers also look different from common cucumbers. They are long with a light green color. Because of that, people often call them “snake melons” or “snake cucumbers”.
The ends of the cucumbers often have some pale green stripes. When ripe, they have a lovely aroma.
This type is particularly suitable for salads or other appetizer recipes that call for cucumber, thanks to their crunchy texture. You can add them to yogurt-based spreads and dips.
Because of their soft texture and mild flavor, they are not ideal for pickling. It is also good to eat them fresh out of the garden. Armenian cucumbers have very thin skin and few seeds, so you don’t have to peel them or remove the seed at all.
Growing Armenian cucumbers will be an easy task with this instruction.
16. Early Pride
Another burpless variety is Early Pride, which was created by Burpee, a famous brand of cultivars. These cucumbers have dark green skin and a length of 8-9 inches. They are mild, crispy, and juicy.
Those who love to grow cucumbers will find Early Pride an excellent choice since it can fight the mosaic virus and powdery mildew. People usually collect the fruits in 55 days.
17. Straight Eight
In 1935, Ferry-Morse Seeds created Straight Eight cucumbers and sold them. Not long after that, this variety also won the All-America Selections award. They are about 8 inches long and need 65 days to mature completely.
Straight Eight cucumbers have a light green color, quite different from other types. The ends are round and blunt. They taste mild and sweet and can be used for both slicing and pickling. Many people slice them to garnish their salads.
18. Sugar Crunch
The name says everything about this amazing variety. It has a super sweet taste and crunchy texture. The skin is smooth and has a light green color. You can use this variety for slicing and pickling.
You can harvest Sugar Crunch cucumber in 57 days after plantation. They can fight the mosaic virus and downy and powdery mildew. People use them for slicing and pickling.
19. Marketmore 76
Compared to other varieties, Marketmore 76 has relatively thick and smooth skin. Yet the fruits are slender. They have a dark green color and a length of 8-9 inches. They will mature in 63 days. The plant can withstand scabs, mildews, and mosaic viruses.
Let’s take a closer look at Marketmore 76 cucumbers!
20. Tendergreen Burpless
Another name for this variety is “Burpless Tendergreen”. It has dark green and thin skin. Regarding taste, these cucumbers taste mild and are suitable for both pickling and slicing.
When mature, Tendergreen Burpless cucumbers are about 8 inches long. Growers often harvest the fruit in 55 days. They are resistant to downy and powdery mildew.
21. Burpless #26
Burpless #26 is also a non-bitter variety. It has a mild taste. The fruits have thin and dark green skin. They are about 12 inches when fully mature. However, people often harvest them when they are about 8-10 inches. It takes 50 days for them to mature.
This variety can resist mosaic virus and downy mildew. If you grow it, you should pick it frequently to trigger the plants to produce more crops.
22. Dasher II
Dasher II cucumbers are about 8 inches long and have a thin and straight shape. They are incredibly uniform. You can harvest them between 55-60 days. Interestingly, they can resist diseases very well.
In addition, they can protect themself against leaf spots, mosaic viruses, and powdery mildew. They can also fight scabs.
23. Persian Cucumbers
Persian cucumbers are a high-quality variety. They have a crispy texture and taste amazingly delicious. Regarding appearance, they look much like common cucumbers with a dark green color and thin skin. They also have very few seeds.
With a crunchy and firm texture, Persian cucumbers can withstand heat. Feel free to stir fry them. These cucumbers are also a component of Dragon Roll Sushi.
However, the length of Persian cucumbers varies a lot. Some are short, while others can be longer than common cultivars. You can enjoy them fresh as a snack or slice and add them to salads. People often harvest them 55-56 days after planting.
14 Pickling Cucumber Varieties That Will Fascinate You
Another category of cucumbers is pickling cucumbers. People mainly use them to make delicious pickles. I will go into detail about each variety below. Before that, you should see this table to get an overview.
24. Parisian
Parisian is a French variety. It is more popular in European countries. Because of its delicate taste, it was the All-American Selections winner in 2015. It normally takes 55 days for the fruits to mature. They are about 6 inches long.
People produced this variety for commercial purposes in the 1800s. The cucumbers have dark green skin and thick and firm flesh. Notably, they have very few seeds. You can use it for both slicing and pickling.
25. Supremo
Supremo has an exotic appearance compared to other varieties because it is very short, just about 3-4 inches. The skin is dark green with some yellow stripes. You can eat the fruit fresh as a snack, pickle them, or slice them into your salads or sandwiches.
Supremo is ready to harvest in just 52 days. Its disease-resistant ability is impressive as well. Regarding the flavor, this cucumber variety is incredibly tasty.
26. Calypso
Calypso is even shorter than Supremo. It is just about 3 inches long. People created it at the North Carolina Agriculture Research Station. They normally pickle it, but you can also slice it and enjoy it fresh. They are very uniform and have a firm texture.
It is best to make pickles from Calypso cucumbers. You can also add them to fresh vegetable trays or cucumber salad. Sliced Calypso is used to make traditional hamburger pickle chips. People also quarter them to make pickle spears.
This type of cucumber matures 52 days after plantation. The plants are resistant to mosaic viruses, powdery mildew, and anthracnose.
27. Fancipak
Fancipak is a medium-sized variety. The fruits are about 4 inches long. They are harvested 54 days after plantation. They have a blocky, uniform shape and tender skin. Their texture is super crispy. You can make pickles from them and add them to burgers and sandwiches.
This variety grows well in warm regions. The plants can resist downy and anthracnose, powdery mildew, mosaic virus, and scab. More amazingly, they have dense foliage, which can hide the fruit from sunscald.
28. Carolina
Carolina cucumbers came from Clemson University in South Carolina. They are medium in size, about 3-4 inches long. You can use them for pickling or eat them fresh out of the garden. They taste amazingly delicious.
This variety matures early and can produce plenty of fruits. You can harvest tasty cucumbers in only 55 days after plantation.
29. National Pickling
People also call this variety “National Pickle” or “National Association Pickling”. Researchers created it at the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station. The cucumbers have dark green, tender skin, and black spines.
They are about 6 inches long when fully mature and mostly used for pickling. However, people often pickle them when they are just 2 inches long. The mature fruits are used for slicing, thanks to their crispy texture.
This variety can also resist mosaic virus and mildew. You can collect them in 55 days after growing them.
A lot of useful information about National Pickling cucumbers is waiting for you.
30. Picklebush
Like other pickling varieties, Picklebush cucumbers are relatively short. They are just about 4.5 inches. Their skin is dark green with some pale green stripes.
Pickbush matures very quickly, thanks to its small size. You can pick the fruits in approximately 52 days. The plants can resist mosaic virus and powdery mildew.
31. Little Leaf H-19
The name says everything about this pickling variety. It has small leaves, which makes harvesting the fruits an easy task. People created it at the University of Arkansas in 1991. They mature in 57 days.
The fruits are also very small. Their lengths range from 3 to 5 inches. They have an outstanding bright emerald green color. You can eat them raw, sliced, or pickled. They can fight against scabs, powdery and downy mildew, and mosaic virus.
32. Pick A Bushel
Pick A Bushel is one of the fastest-growing varieties. It grows to a maximum length of 6 inches in only 50 days. The fruits are deliciously sweet and crispy. Because of its excellent flavor profile, it won the All-America Selections in 2014.
You can slice mature Pick A Bushel cucumbers and add them to your favorite recipes. You can also pick them when they are still young to make gherkins. However, gherkins and pickles have a few differences that you may not notice.
This variety has a light green color. It can also resist scabs and viruses.
33. Boston Pickling
Boston Pickling cucumbers were bred by Wood and Sons in 1880. They are about 3-7 inches in length. They have thin skin, a straight shape, and full ends.
The skin has a gorgeous bright green color, while the flesh inside is crispy and delicious. Growers often harvest them 55 days after planting. This variety is very suitable for sweet or dill picking. They absorb the spices very well.
34. Lemon
This is probably the most exotic variety of cucumbers. It resembles the look of lemons with a round shape, beautiful yellow skin, and some shades of white. It is as big as a tennis ball. Interestingly, it tastes very sweet. You will not feel any bitterness.
Lemon cucumbers have very thin skin and few seeds. You can slice the fruits into salads or use them to make pickles.
Lemon cucumber salad is always a very delicious dish.
35. Chicago Pickling
Chicago Pickling cucumbers originated in Chicago in 1888. They are about 7 inches long and are ready to harvest in 55 days. They have thin dark green skin and some dark spines. In addition, they can fight against a lot of diseases.
Their crispy texture makes them perfect for pickling.
36. Quirk
Quirk cucumbers have a beautiful appearance. You will be stunned when you look at them. They have shades of white and bright green. They are very crispy, so you can enjoy them fresh or use them for pickling.
These cucumbers are just about 2-3 inches long. People normally harvest them 52 days after plantation.
37. Adam Gherkin
Another amazing pickling variety is Adam Gherkin. They are quite small, just about 3-4 inches long. People grow them mainly in Europe. They are among the most popular pickling varieties there.
Adam Gherkin cucumbers are very uniform. They have a dark green color with small spikes. Notably, their flesh is dense and has a crispy texture. They only need 47 days to mature completely.
You Should Always Have Cucumbers In The Fridge
I bet that you already know how versatile, fresh, and tasty cucumbers are. Pick some varieties that impress you and buy some so that they are always on hand whenever you need them.
A lot of people don’t know about the fact that cucumbers have so many varieties. So you can help them discover more types by sharing this article. I believe that they will be amazed by how diverse cucumbers are.
