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Horned cucumber (kiwano). Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

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Content

1. Photos, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
2. Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
3. Botanical description, reference data, useful information, illustrations
4. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
5. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Horned cucumber (kiwano), Cucumis metuliferus. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Sort by: Cucumis

Family: Cucurbitaceae (Cucurbitaceae)

Origin: Africa

Area: The horned cucumber is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and South Asia, and is also grown in other regions of the world.

Chemical composition: Horned cucumber contains vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, proteins and carbohydrates.

Economic value: Horned cucumber is used in the food industry for the production of juices, preserves and sweets. It can also be used as a decorative element when serving dishes.

Legends, myths, symbolism: In African folk traditions, the horned cucumber is associated with wealth and abundance, as its shape and color are reminiscent of gold. In some African societies, it is used as a symbolic gift that expresses respect and gratitude. In Mayan mythology, the horned cucumber was associated with the deity Hanze, who was the patron of the sun, harvest and abundance. In Inca culture, the kiwano was considered a symbol of fertility and wealth. The symbolic meaning of the horned cucumber is also associated with its beneficial properties. In the traditional medicine of African and Central American peoples, it has been used to treat various ailments such as headaches, fevers, colds, and to improve digestion. Therefore, a horned cucumber can symbolize health, well-being and longevity.

Horned cucumber (kiwano), Cucumis metuliferus. Description, illustrations of the plant

Horned cucumber (kiwano), Cucumis metuliferus. The history of growing a plant, economic importance, cultivation, use in cooking

Among the exotic fruits designed to diversify our habitual diet, kivano - horned cucumber is gaining popularity.

What is this plant? The kiwano, Cucumis metuliferus, belongs to the gourd family, in the same genus as the melon C. melo and our familiar cucumber C. sativus. This is an annual climber up to three meters long, climbing or creeping. Its stem is hairy, the leaves are large. The plant is monoecious, that is, male and female flowers appear on the same stem. Flowers solitary, female larger than male. The fruit is ellipsoid in shape, up to 15 cm long and up to 6 cm in diameter. Outside, it is studded with rather large, wide needles, which is why it is horned. (The plant is sometimes called horned melon.) Its rind is greenish-gray, and when the fruit is ripe, it is yellow. Numerous large seeds are buried in a yellowish-green jelly-like mass. Hence another name - jelly melon.

Kiwano is a tropical African plant. Its range extends south of the Sahara to Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland. In the 1980s, several farmers began growing C. metuliferus in New Zealand for domestic consumption and for export. For some reason they sold it under the name "Mexican Fruit Salad". And in West Africa, in Sierra Leone, the plant was called the English tomato.

But then everything got better, the name "kiwano" was registered as a trademark, and under this name C. metuliferus is cultivated far beyond its native Africa: in Australia, Chile, in the southern United States, in Portugal, Italy and Germany - where there is enough heat and light. In the Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the first Russian variety of kivano, the Green Dragon, was bred, recommended for growing in open ground and greenhouses in Siberia.

Cucumber bitterness. You need to try horned cucumbers with caution. The fruits may be bitter, but in appearance they cannot be distinguished from non-bitter ones. They are bitter due to the triterpenoids cucurbitacins, which are found in many plants of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, and are named after them. So, wild forms of watermelon are bitter. Table watermelon, the fruit of a long selection, originates from the sweet form.

Cucumbers are bitter due to cucurbitacins. In the XNUMXth century, English doctors even considered them poisonous and urged their compatriots not to eat cucumbers. Cucurbitacins are indeed poisonous, but in the concentration in which cucumbers, both ordinary and horned, contain them, they are safe, scientists have specifically tested this. You cannot get poisoned with a bitter horned cucumber, even if, overcoming yourself, you eat a few fruits. By the way, some African tribes, for example, the Bushmen, during crop failures themselves eat bitter kiwano, and they feed cattle with them. Nothing, everyone is alive.

Non-bitter fruits have a refreshing pineapple-banana taste with a slight sourness and practically no smell. They are the ones who go to the shops.

What are the benefits of horned cucumbers? Our native cucumber has a layer of dense pulp under the skin, the nodule does not have such a layer. Inside is a solid jelly with seeds, and there is a lot of water in it, as much as 89%. In the Kalahari Desert, the kiwano is one of the few sources of moisture.

Horned cucumber is useful for those who want to lose weight: 100 g of raw fruits contain only 44 kcal. However, the main advantage of kiwano is a large number of vitamins, micro and macro elements.

First of all, experts note a high level of vitamin C, especially the peel is rich in it. Two more valuable compounds are beta-carotene and vitamin A. Beta-carotene supports the immune system, vitamin A is good for vision, especially at night, and also helps maintain healthy skin. According to some reports, diets rich in beta-carotene and lutein (kiwano and it contain) slow down aging. Vitamin E has a beneficial effect on red blood cells, skin, muscles, nerves and the heart and acts as an antioxidant. Some researchers suggest that vitamin E may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The fruit pulp also contains thiamine B1, riboflavin B2, niacin B3, pantothenic acid B5, vitamin B6 and folate B9.

Of the minerals, iron and potassium should be mentioned first of all. In addition, the fruits are rich in phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, calcium, copper and sodium. Zinc is enough to increase sperm count and motility.

Kiwano also contains saponins, tannins, alkaloids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids and other biologically active substances.

Kiwano and medicine. Local residents have long used horned cucumber for medicinal purposes, and not only the fruits, but also the roots. The Shona tribes of Okavango, Zimbabwe use a decoction of the root to soothe pain after childbirth, and the boiled root helps with gonorrhea. And if the root is ground, mixed with fat and smeared with this mixture on the body, not a single evil spirit can enter the house.

On the Nigerian plateau, kiwano is a traditional remedy for stomach ulcers, diabetes, hepatitis B, hypertension, and AIDS. (Information about AIDS was received in 2006 by one of the specialists of the Nigerian University of Jos in a personal conversation with an unknown person.) Local farmers treat diseases of chickens with horned cucumber. According to some reports, the pulp of the kiwano on the Nigerian plateau serves as a universal remedy for all diseases of both humans and cattle, and the fruit is called "kanda", in translation this word means "to stop something before it happens."

Naturally, scientists are also interested in the medicinal properties of the fruit, in particular, it is being actively studied at the University of Jos - they analyze the effect of the fruit extract or its alkaloids and flavonoids. The studies were carried out in vitro or on laboratory animals.

It turned out that the fruit extract really improves blood counts - it increases the hemoglobin content, the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes; helps with ulcers (in any case, protects the mucous membrane in mice); normalizes blood glucose levels in artificially induced diabetes. In rabbits, it reduces the number of trypanosomes - parasitic unicellular organisms that cause various ailments, including sleeping sickness, and, although it does not save infected animals, it doubles their life. In chickens, Kiwano reduces the clinical signs of Newcastle disease (a viral disease of poultry) and restores hemorrhagic damage to internal organs caused by the disease. There is reason to believe that horned cucumber will help with hepatitis B and C. The fruits also have antibacterial properties, reducing the number of Salmonella gallinarum, the causative agent of the intestinal disease of domestic chickens.

In general, the horned cucumber deserves the closest attention, suddenly he really is a kanda.

And how is it eaten? The season of the horned cucumber lasts from February to July: at this time it bears fruit. Kiwano can be eaten at any stage of ripeness, but the overripe fruit sometimes bursts right in the hands, releasing the seeds, so it should be taken with care.

At room temperature, the fruits are stored for up to six months. They can be eaten like a regular cucumber (although more often the kiwano is washed, cut in half and the jelly pulp is scooped out with a spoon) or added to fruit salads. These salads, by the way, look spectacular in empty boats, orange and spiked.

Even if the cucumber is overripe, its pulp can be made into jam, baked into a fruit pie, or added to smoothies. Some peoples of South Africa roast the fruit and cook the leaves like spinach or mix with cornmeal.

And what should we do if we are lucky to get hold of the Green Dragon? Cut the cucumber in half, remove the core, mix it with two tablespoons of sugar, put it in bowls and put it in the freezer. An hour later, the summer treat is ready.

If there is another horned cucumber, we will prepare a crushing drink "Two K". We will need a kivano, two kiwis, 60 ml of Cointreau liqueur (it is made on the basis of sweet and bitter oranges), 120 ml of vodka and two cups of crushed ice.

Cut out two thin slices from the middle of the nod and leave for decoration. Take out the rest of the pulp with a spoon and put it in a blender. There we add kiwi, peeled and cut into large pieces, and the rest of the ingredients. Beat it all at high speed until a homogeneous mass is obtained, pour into two tall glasses and decorate with slices of kiwano. To your health!

Author: Ruchkina N.

Horned cucumber (kiwano), Cucumis metuliferus. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology

Ethnoscience:

• Cough treatment: to prepare an infusion of horned cucumber, you need to take 2 tablespoons of chopped pulp, pour 500 ml of boiling water and insist for 2-3 hours. Drink 50-100 ml of infusion 3-4 times a day.
• Headache treatment: to prepare an infusion of horned cucumber, you need to take 2 tablespoons of chopped pulp, pour 500 ml of boiling water and insist for 2-3 hours. Apply to temples and forehead.
• Treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: to prepare an infusion of horned cucumber, you need to take 2 tablespoons of chopped pulp, pour 500 ml of boiling water and insist for 2-3 hours. Drink 50-100 ml of infusion 3-4 times a day.
• Treatment for colds and flu: to prepare an infusion of horned cucumber, you need to take 2 tablespoons of chopped pulp, pour 500 ml of boiling water and insist for 2-3 hours. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and drink 50-100 ml of infusion 3-4 times a day.
• Treatment for insomnia: to prepare an infusion of horned cucumber, you need to take 2 tablespoons of chopped pulp, pour 500 ml of boiling water and insist for 2-3 hours. Drink 50-100 ml of infusion before bedtime.

Cosmetology:

• Mask for the face: to prepare the mask, you need to take the pulp of one horned cucumber, mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey and apply on the face for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. The mask will help moisturize and brighten the skin.
• Facial peeling: To prepare a peel, mix the pulp of one horned cucumber with 1 tablespoon of oatmeal and enough water to make a thick paste. Apply to face, massaging in circular motions, then rinse with warm water. Exfoliation will help remove dead skin cells and leave the skin soft and smooth.
• Face lotion: to prepare the lotion, you need to mix the pulp of one horned cucumber with 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply to face with a cotton pad, then rinse with warm water. The lotion will help moisturize the skin and make it fresher.
• Hair Mask: to prepare the mask, you need to mix the pulp of one horned cucumber with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Apply to hair and leave for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. The mask will help strengthen the hair, make it soft and shiny.

Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!

Horned cucumber (kiwano), Cucumis metuliferus. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Horned cucumber (kiwano) is an exotic fruit that grows in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America.

Tips for growing, harvesting and storing horned cucumber:

Cultivation:

• Site Selection: The Horned Cucumber prefers warm and sunny climates, but can grow in partial shade. It is best grown in fertile soils that are well drained.
• Soil preparation: Before sowing horned cucumber, it is necessary to prepare the soil, remove weeds and large stones. Horned cucumber loves moderate humidity, so you can fill the soil with water before sowing.
• Sowing: Horned cucumber can be grown from seeds or cuttings. Seeds should be buried to a depth of about 1-2 cm. Plants should be placed at a distance of about 1-2 meters from each other.
• Plant care: Horned cucumber needs constant access to water and moderate fertilizer. It is also necessary to regularly weed the soil and feed the plants with fertilizers during growth.

Workpiece:

• Collection: Horned cucumber is harvested when it reaches maturity and turns yellow. It can be used to make juices, jams, salads and other dishes.
• Processing: To use a horned cucumber in cooking, it is necessary to remove the outer rind and then cut it into pieces.

Storage:

• Cool Storage: Horned Cucumber should be stored in a cool place away from sunlight and high temperatures.
• Storage Duration: Horned Cucumber can be stored for several weeks, but it is best to use it as soon as possible after picking.

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