Dendrosicyos Socotrana

The cucumber tree (Dendrosicyos Socotrana) is one of my favorite trees and a great example of island evolution. Until 10 million years ago, when Socotra was still attached to Africa, any broad-trunked tree would have been destroyed by large herbivores like elephants and rhinoceroses. Since the island of Socotra broke away with no herbivores, the shrubs found a safe ecological niche to grow and grow. The Dendrosicyos Socotrana is a kooky example of this gigantism. All other members of the cucumber family is a shrub or a climbing plant. The Dendrosicyos Socotrana is a tree that can grow up to 4 meters high and grows cucumbers from its branches.

They can grow indoors with access to sunlight but it takes some experience.