Cucumis aculeatus shares its genus with the common cucumber, but unlike the produce aisle staple, this rare cucurbit species is native to eastern tropical Africa and produces a yellow, egg-shaped fruit with spiky bumps on its skin. Where it grows wild, the plant is harvested as a local source of food. Its young fruit—pale green before ripening—is sometimes eaten raw. While the mature fruit has a bitter taste, it can be prepared as a savory dish by drying thin slices in the sun and cooking them with ground peanuts. The plant’s young leaves, fresh or dried, are also edible and used in cooked dishes. From its perennial rootstock, Cucumis aculeatus grows annual stems of 2 to 3 m (6.6 to 9.8 ft) long, which can climb upwards with their long tendrils or trail along the ground. They can grow vigorously, with prickly toothed foliage and petite yellow flowers. In cultivation, this plant will thrive best in full sun and rich soil, and it can be grown as an annual in areas with winter temperatures below 15°C (59°F).

Minimum tested germination rate is 70%

Collected in 2023 in Kenya