Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Annual Biennial

Cucumis sativus 'MiniStars'

cucumber 'MiniStars'

A snack-sized cucumber with 10cm long, smooth-skinned fruit suitable for growing outdoors, including tubs and hanging baskets, or under glass

Other common names

cucumber 'Mini Star'

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Cucurbitaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing, Trailing
Potentially harmful: Pets: Bitter fruit can be TOXIC if eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Cucumis is a genus of twining plants with tendrils which includes cucumber, melons and gerkins. Around 30 species are native to Africa and 25 to India, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Start from seed or buy as small plants and grow in a heated greenhouse, or on a windowsill. Can be moved to an unheated greenhouse, or outdoors, once all risk of frost has passed. Water regularly, feed plants in containers every 10-14 days, and provide support.

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
City and courtyard gardens

Pruning

Under glass, remove the tip of the plant once it reaches the top of the support. Shorten sideshoots to two leaves beyond any developing fruit, or to 60cm if they have no fruit. If left to trail outdoors shorten the main shoot, and sideshoots with no fruit, after seven leaves

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly

Diseases

Has some resistance, but may be susceptible to cucumber mosaic virus and powdery mildews

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.