The Chinese cucumber, also known as Mongolian snake gourd, is an edible vegetable that can be pickled or eaten raw. It can be grown in various types of soil and can climb trellises. The plant is used for medicinal purposes, including treating jaundice and diabetes, inducing abortion, and possibly treating AIDS.
The Chinese cucumber is a vegetable that belongs to the squash genus Trichosanthes. Also known as Mongolian snake gourd, it grows on a vine along the ground or can climb trellises or chicken wire. The plants are native to open forests and grassy areas of China. These types of cucumbers are edible and are sometimes pickled or eaten raw in salads. All parts of this ornamental plant are used for medicinal purposes.
This versatile tender perennial can be grown in light, loamy soil as well as heavy clay. The soil must be moist and have good drainage. When growing Chinese cucumber, it is important to provide plenty of sunlight, as it will not grow in shaded areas. The plant produces wiry white flowers from mid-summer through fall, which then go to seed and produce fruit. Ripe fruits are about 4 inches (10.2 cm) long.
Although the Chinese cucumber plant tends to trail along the ground, it can also be trained to climb. This makes it ideal for small spaces and can even be grown as a container plant when placed in a large pot with a small trellis. When grown in the garden, it should be given plenty of room to spread out. It is similar in growing habit to the more common English cucumbers or pole beans.
Chinese cucumber fruits are usually used when freshly picked. However, the roots are dug up in the fall and then cut into pieces and dried before being used. They are reconstituted by soaking them in water for several days. The roots are mashed into pulp and then steamed and made into cakes and dumplings.
Although the fruits can be eaten, the Chinese cucumber’s uses are primarily medicinal. It has been popular in Chinese herbal preparations for centuries to treat many different conditions and diseases. The fruit, including the seeds, is said to be antifungal and antibacterial and is taken as a laxative and expectorant. The fruit peel has been used to treat jaundice, sore throats and even cancer.
The medicinal Chinese cucumber root itself has a variety of uses. It is said to be a potent abortifacient, and, in the past, a sponge was dipped in cucumber juice and then placed in the vagina to induce abortion, usually in the second trimester of a pregnancy. The root has also been given as a treatment for diabetes and to ease labor. Additionally, Chinese cucumber roots contain tricosanthin, a protein that has been tested since 2011 as a possible treatment for AIDS.
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