Wild cucumbers used to have an oval or spherical shape and were covered in spikes that usually grow to at least 3 centimeters in diameter but can go up to 20 centimeters long. These wild cucumbers usually hold four seeds inside of them. This prickly version of the vegetable was not edible and considered toxic.

The cucumber is believed to be native to India. It was cultivated originally for medicinal reasons. The modern cucumber bears little resemblance to its wild version. It has a cylindrical shape with multiple seeds inside of it and it can grow as large as 24 inches long. Modern cucumbers are also very edible and low in calories given that they are almost 90% water.