I already wrote about what a crazy cucumber is (here), and now I'll tell you about the benefits and harms of this fascinating plant. But why is prickly pear useful in a garden plot, and is it worth growing?
I'll start with the positive, that is, the benefits:
- Growing is very simple, the main thing is that the soil is not too acidic. Otherwise, the crop is generally unpretentious.
- It's common to plant wild cucumbers along a fence, near an unsightly wall, etc. It will delight you with beautiful flowers for over a month. Then it will be covered with unusual green fruits.
- Despite its toxicity, the fruits and other parts of the cucumber contain a wealth of beneficial substances—antioxidants, vitamins C and B, amino acids, fatty acids, and more. Therefore, herbalists use the wild cucumber in folk medicine. Its treatments include kidney disease, inflammation, skin redness, ulcers, hemorrhoids, neuralgia, rheumatism, jaundice, and much more.
But I want to say that, despite my love for medicinal herbs, I wouldn't risk trying such a remedy. It's poisonous, after all, and there's a huge risk of intoxication and death. Therefore, I don't advise anyone to try it. Especially since there are plenty of safe herbs. - There's a lot of talk online about using the young cucumbers in cooking, like salads or stews. Supposedly, you need to soak them in water to remove the bitterness. This is questionable advice. Even if young cucumbers are non-toxic, I'd still be afraid to eat them. After all, there are healthy cucumbers out there. And what's surprising is that no one writes about their taste—at least, I couldn't find any information. This suggests that all the advice about eating them is simply made up.
- It is a good honey plant for bees, and Echinocystis also attracts other beneficial insects.
Now, let's talk about why you shouldn't plant it on your property:
- The most important thing is that these beautiful fruits are very poisonous. Children love them, and despite the abundance of large thorns, they try to pick them. If they're ripe, a single touch can cause the skin to rupture, spraying toxic juice onto a person's skin. And if a child licks their finger, severe poisoning can occur. It's a scientifically proven fact that just 6 grams of juice can be fatal to an adult.
- Secondly, if you plant it once in a plot and miss the moment (harvesting the fruits before they burst), then the crazy cucumber will fill the entire yard (the seeds fly 5-6 meters or a little more).
- Smelling the flowers or sitting near them for a long time can cause weakness and headaches. An allergic reaction may also occur.
- Goats and cows should not be allowed to eat mad cucumber - the milk will be bitter.
I don't know about anyone else, but I refuse to plant prickly pear in my yard as an ornamental plant. Especially since it would take several years to get rid of it, and only with the strongest herbicides.