The cucumber is an annual herbaceous fruit (Cucumis sativus) of the cucurbitacea family. The plant has large green leaves that form a canopy over the fruits, that grow on the sides of the stem. It has curly stems that can be guided along a trellis or can lefts to trail along the ground. The stems are thick and thorny and are divided in knots from which a curly vine and a leaf grow.
 Numerical Values
Almeria and Granada absorb 90% of the Spanish cucumber production. These two provinces produced more than 545,000 tons in 2006.
Outside of these provinces, we can highlight Murcia and the Canary Islands. The main type produced in Andalusia is the Dutch type that adds more than 70% of the volume offered. The remaining 30% is left to the French and Spanish varieties of cucumber and other national and international specialities.
Although Granada is the second reference province it is actually perfect for the developmental productions, reaching the highest coast. Actually the productivity scale in Granada is 116 tons per hectare under-cover, an unusual circumstance in the rest of the producing zones in the Mediterranean Europe.
Nutritional Values
This product is like water, more than 90% of its content is just water. Besides its low caloric content, it makes it perfect as a vegetable for dieting as it is very satisfying.
The cucumber is well served by potassium and folic acid and low in sodium. It contains vitamin A and C and contains carotenoids when the cucumber is consumed with the skin.
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