Injection cucumber

The spray cucumber (Ecballium elaterium), also called donkey cucumber and spring cucumber, is a perennial plant from the cucurbitaceae family (Cucurbitaceae). Ecballium elaterium is native to the Mediterranean region. It has highly branched hairy stems that grow up to 120 cm long. The green oval leaves are hairy on the underside. The spray cucumber flowers with yellow five-part bell-shaped flowers. The oblong oval fruits are strongly hairy.

Ecballium elaterium is the parent plant of Fructus Ecballi, the fruit extract of the injection cucumber.

The cucumber must never be used for self-therapy, as it is highly toxic (see Fructus Ecballi below).