Cucumis sativus is an annual plant species and is considered to be day neutral. At optimal temperature conditions it needs 6–8 weeks from sowing to the production of the first flowers and 8–10 weeks for the development of the first fruits. For breeding purposes, in a greenhouse under optimal temperature conditions and artificial illumination during winter, three generations per year can be produced.

Originally, cucumber was a monoecious plant species. In East Asian varieties, purely pistillate plants,38 and in the Australian variety ‘White Lemon’ andromonoecious plants (i.e. plants with staminate and hermaphroditic flowers), have been described. Thus, there are three different flower types in cucumber: pistillate, staminate and hermaphroditic flowers. An embryonic flower bud has both staminate and pistillate initials. Due to the effect of genetic factors and environmental conditions, development of staminate or pistillate flower organs may be either selective, resulting in staminate or pistillate flower types, or non-selective, resulting in hermaphroditic flowers.

Cucumis sativus is an annual plant species and is considered to be day neutral. At optimal temperature conditions it needs 6–8 weeks from sowing to the production of the first flowers and 8–10 weeks for the development of the first fruits. For breeding purposes, in a greenhouse under optimal temperature conditions and artificial illumination during winter, three generations per year can be produced.

Originally, cucumber was a monoecious plant species. In East Asian varieties, purely pistillate plants,38 and in the Australian variety ‘White Lemon’ andromonoecious plants (i.e. plants with staminate and hermaphroditic flowers), have been described. Thus, there are three different flower types in cucumber: pistillate, staminate and hermaphroditic flowers. An embryonic flower bud has both staminate and pistillate initials. Due to the effect of genetic factors and environmental conditions, development of staminate or pistillate flower organs may be either selective, resulting in staminate or pistillate flower types, or non-selective, resulting in hermaphroditic flowers.