squirting cucumber news!

Just what you wanted to know...

​One plant now forming a small colony on the common carries a bit of a health warning. Ecballium elaterium – the squirting cucumber – is NOT edible and is a ‘potentially harmful’ (but not seemingly notifiable) irritant to both humans and pets, and is toxic if swallowed.

The small, hairy ‘cucumbers’ disperse their seeds by exploding violently (stand clear!), from early autumn squirting a jet of slimy liquid containing the ripe seeds.