Mad cucumber: features and application of an unusual plant

Raging cucumber, wild cucumber, prickly fruit, hedgehog bubble - this is what echinocystis is so called among enthusiasts of climbing plants.

The beauty of the plant attracted European scientists traveling in North America. Leaving the mainland, the researchers took the vine with them. In a short time this rare specimen gained great popularity.

Many people, seeing echinocysts, growing on its own in the streets, squares, wastelands, near roads, take it as a weed. Lovers of rabid cucumber will never agree with this statement: to grow a vine on your site, create a hedge or decorate a garden arbor, you need to apply diligence and patience, despite the simplicity of the plant.

Echinocystis - herbaceous annual plant of the pumpkin family, the only representative of this species.

The height of the vine reaches from 1.5 to 6 meters. Loach has no antennae, but perfectly clings to the support, and braids it with incredible speed. In 3-4 weeks he is able to master an area of ​​up to 6 square meters.

A plant with abundant green mass and a cloud of gently cream inflorescences, it looks light and airy. The root of the plant is large, fleshy, rod-shaped.

The leaves of the vine are carved, triangular in shape, resembling the leaves of an ordinary cucumber. The upper part of the leaves is smooth, green. The lower, greyish-green hue resembles the rough surface of felt or felt when touched.

Flowers of the plant are small, white, cream or yellowish-milky. Have the correct form, are collected in separate inflorescences. Liana is a monoecious plant. At the same time there are male, smaller flowers and female paired inflorescences. When considering the inflorescence resemble small fluffy panicles that smell very nice.

Imagine a walnut about 6 cm in size in green peel, but with thorns, or horse chestnut fruit in miniature. It looks like a mature rabid cucumber.

The young fruits of the plant are like small cucumbers covered with a layer of soft bristles. Gradually, they change their shape and color, from oval green turns into more round ones with not very pronounced grayish stripes and hard spines.

During rains fruits actively absorb moisture. A gelatinous substance is formed inside the seed box, which contains seeds. By the time of maturation, the seminal fluid begins to ferment, the gas released during this creates a great pressure - about 9 atmospheres.

The slightest touch to the fruit, and the cucumber, breaking away from the stem, rushes away from the bush at a breakneck pace. The outer shell flies off, spewing a fountain with seeds out. For this unusual ability to reproduce in nature, echinocystsis was called a mad cucumber.

Seeds of vines ripen at different times. The largest number ripen in September. If you disturb the shoots at this time, you can get under the real "shelling". The flight of fruits occurs at such a speed that if you do not have time to hide, you can earn good bruises and bumps.

Wild thistle grows in Eastern Europe, Asia Minor. Occurs in the Crimea, in the Caucasus. The plant is distributed in the Central and Central Black Earth strip of Russia. The spread of vines occurs quickly by way of self-seeding. The plant spreads its seeds for very long distances.

In the wild nature, the loach perfectly masters on any soils: sandy, stony, clayey, marshy.

When growing this crop on your own plot, you should not create spartan conditions for the plant. To do this, the custom is not acidic soil. If organic fertilizer is introduced into the land for planting, Echinocystis will retain its decorative effect throughout the entire season: from July to the end of September.

If you decide to create a shady arbor, decorative arch or a hedge in order to hide from the curious eyes of the neighbors - a frantic cucumber is a very suitable option. Get some seeds and start acting.

Decide on the planting site. If you plant a prickly near the fence, the wall of a house or a gazebo, you will not need to create additional supports for it. The plant will independently master the territory offered to it.

When creating decorative landscape compositions of vines, you can buy ready-made fixtures or make them yourself. For vertical gardening, arches, tapestries, pergolas, pergolas, consisting of wooden wall-gratings, are used.

It is possible to plant a crop using seedlings or sowing seeds directly into the ground in spring or autumn.

Sowing seedlings can be done in April.

• Rub each seed with sandpaper.
• Wrap in wet gauze and leave for a day.
• Place in the sawdust at a distance of 15 cm from each other or spread out in a box, planting each seed in a separate peat tablet.
• Leave the seed container warm but not in the scorching sun.
• Grown up plants are planted in a permanent place at a distance of 35 -50 cm from each other. Moisten the soil and apply organic fertilizer before planting.
• Planting is better after the fruit trees have blossomed: apples, pears.

Sowing in open ground is carried out in the soil warmed by the sun, taking into account the time of fruit ripening in late August - early September. Seeds are also pre-treated with sandpaper, soaked and planted into the soil to a depth of no more than 2 cm at a distance of 50 cm from each other.

Sowing under the winter is carried out in October - November, when the air temperature is not higher than 5 ° C. Only dry seeds are used.

Step-by-step instruction:

• sow seeds in the grooves;
• we fall asleep with a fertile layer of earth from 20 cm thick;
• well moistened;
• Mulch with a thick layer of sawdust and spruce.

It is enough to water the plant as needed, not allowing the root system to dry out. Under each adult plant you need to pour more than three liters of water. Feed organic fertilizers enough once every two weeks.

So that the plant does not overwhelm the entire territory of the plot, tear off the previously immature fruits from the plant. Leave only a small portion of ripening cucumbers, the seeds of which you use for the coming year.

When collecting mature fruits, use a transparent cellophane bag. Put a packet on the branches with fruits and shake it sharply. When you break the shell of cucumber, the seeds will purposefully fall into the package, and not past. This will protect you from self-seeding the plant and turning it into a weed growing everywhere.

The main purpose of a prickly pear is to decorate garden and suburban areas. Looks great plants in parks and squares, landscape design which is made in a natural style.

In folk medicine, rabid cucumber has been used since its penetration into European territory.

Contains many useful substances:

• vitamins C, B;
• amino acids;
• allantoin;
• nitrogen compounds;
• fatty and organic acids.

For the manufacture of decoctions, tinctures, ointments using the aboveground part of the plant: the stem, leaves, fruits. Use fresh juice.

Used as a treatment for many diseases:

• helminthiasis;
• intestinal obstruction;
• diarrhea;
• intestinal colic;
• dermatitis;
• rheumatism;
• neuralgia;
• malignant tumors of the uterus;
• trophic ulcers;
• edema;
• hepatitis A;
• kidney inflammation;
• inflammation of the bladder;
• sinusitis

In cooking, use leaves and very young fruits, not older than 10 days. A little more - and the fruits become bitter to the taste. Without pre-treatment (soaking, salting) they can not be used.

Mad cucumber - melliferous. The aroma of flowers of wild cucumber like not only people. Experienced beekeepers are aware of the miraculous property of echinocystis to attract bees with their sweet smell and cultivate whole thickets of plants on apiaries.

Knowing how many ailments and diseases the rabid cucumber treats, one could consider this plant a panacea.

Scientific medicine does not recognize the folk drugs from prickly fruit and considers it poisonous. It contains steroids and alkaloids that are dangerous to human health.

Until the end of the culture properties have not been studied. However, foreign scientists are betting on some of the unique properties of the plant, discovered in antiquity by Chinese healers. A scientist - phytotherapist from Bulgaria, Stoyanov, conducted a series of successful experiments in 1972 on the treatment of viral hepatitis B using echinocystis. Perhaps the plant will take its place among the recognized medicines. It is surprising that echinocystis itself is never sick and is not affected by pests.

Those who already had experience growing unusual plants, give a few recommendations on his account.

• Mad cucumber is suitable for those who want to quickly and beautifully arrange their cottage or estate, creating a living wall.
• The plant will remarkably decorate a fence or an arbor.
• A green screen perfectly decorates and hides areas that should not be on the general review.
• If you love change and want to part with a rabid cucumber, simply cut down the stems of the plant and gather ripe fruits in time.
• To plant a fragrant liana to attract bees is simply necessary for those who have an apiary.
• Do not risk eating mad cucumbers without knowing the consequences. You will live well without this exotic dish.
• Do not give fruit to children, do not allow to play with them without adult supervision.
• Having decided to try the popular recipes of treatment, consult your doctor.
• Remember that the main purpose of echinocystis - to please their flowering. Plant a vine in your plot, and your garden will be cozy and beautiful.

For more information about rabbit cucumber, see the next video.