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Clemson Cooperative Extension divides the types of cucumbers into two main groups, pickling and slicing, and University of Minnesota Extension adds bush and vining plants, seedless types that set fruit without pollination, and all-female varieties. This guide explains those cucumber varieties with both Extension services, then compares raw cucumbers and cucumber pickles with USDA FoodData Central values, where sodium is the column that changes most. For the vegetable itself, see our cucumber guide.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Clemson Cooperative Extension says cucumbers are typically divided into two groups, pickling and slicing.
- Pickling cucumbers produce shorter, blockier fruit with bumpy skin, Clemson says, while slicing types are long and slender with softer flesh.
- Parthenocarpic, burpless or European-type cucumbers produce long, seedless fruit without bees, according to Clemson Extension.
- Raw cucumber with peel lists about 95.2 grams of water and 2 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams in USDA data.
- Per 100 grams, USDA lists about 809 milligrams of sodium for the dill pickle entry and 1,208 milligrams for the sour pickle entry, against an FDA Daily Value of 2,300 milligrams.
Types of cucumbers: pickling and slicing
Clemson Cooperative Extension sorts garden cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, by fruit shape and use.
| Type | Fruit (Clemson Extension) | Use (Clemson Extension) | Harvest length (Clemson Extension) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickling | Shorter, blockier fruit with bumpy skin | Used to make pickles, may also be eaten raw | 2 to 6 inches |
| Slicing | Long and slender, softer flesh, smooth and thicker skin | Typically eaten raw | 6 to 10 inches |
| Burpless or European-type | Long, seedless fruit from parthenocarpic hybrids | Set fruit without bees or other pollinating insects | 6 to 10 inches |
The groups overlap in the kitchen. University of Minnesota Extension says pickling cucumbers often have very good flavor for salads as well, and advises harvesting slicers or salad cucumbers before they are over-large, with large seeds and yellowish skins. For pickles, Minnesota Extension suggests harvesting at a uniform size.
Cucumber varieties by plant and flower type
- Vining and bush: University of Minnesota Extension says some cucumber varieties form long vines that may need a trellis, while bush types fit better in a small garden; Clemson Extension says bush varieties produce well in a limited amount of space.
- Seedless (parthenocarpic): Minnesota Extension says some newer varieties set fruit that develops normally without pollination, and these fruits are seedless or nearly so. Clemson calls these hybrid, burpless or European-type cucumbers.
- All-female: Minnesota Extension says some varieties have only female flowers, each of which can produce a fruit, and must be grown with another cucumber variety that has the traditional flowering habit to provide pollen.
- Disease-resistant: Minnesota Extension says seed catalogs use codes to show which cucumber varieties are resistant or tolerant to different diseases.
Bitterness differs between varieties
University of Minnesota Extension says concentrations of the bitter compound cucurbitacin vary among varieties, that some non-bitter varieties are available to home gardeners, and that fruits are typically bitterer closer to the skin. Clemson Extension links bitterness to temperature swings and to storing cucumbers near other ripening vegetables, and says cutting off the stem end and peeling the cucumber reduces the bitterness.
Raw and pickled cucumbers compared in USDA data
The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries per 100 grams, with SR Legacy’s weight for one piece alongside. SR Legacy has no separate entry for slicing, pickling or seedless cucumbers, so the raw rows are cucumber with and without peel, and the pickle rows are the dill, sour and sweet entries USDA names. Each %DV uses the FDA Daily Values: 28 grams of dietary fiber, 4,700 milligrams of potassium, 120 micrograms of vitamin K and 2,300 milligrams of sodium; water has no Daily Value. Rows are ranked by USDA sodium values.
| Cucumber food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | One piece (USDA) | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Water | Potassium | Vitamin K | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sour pickle, cucumber (169379) | 100 g | 1 spear, 30 g | 11 | 2.3 g | 1.2 g (4%) | 94.1 g | 23 mg (0%) | 47.0 mcg (39%) | 1,208 mg (53%) |
| Dill pickle, cucumber (168558) | 100 g | 1 small spear, 35 g | 12 | 2.4 g | 1.0 g (4%) | 94.3 g | 117 mg (2%) | 17.3 mcg (14%) | 809 mg (35%) |
| Sweet pickle, cucumber (169378) | 100 g | 1 small gherkin, 15 g | 91 | 21.1 g | 1.0 g (4%) | 76.2 g | 100 mg (2%) | 47.1 mcg (39%) | 457 mg (20%) |
| Dill pickle, cucumber, reduced sodium (168563) | 100 g | 1 small spear, 35 g | 12 | 2.4 g | 1.0 g (4%) | 94.3 g | 117 mg (2%) | 17.3 mcg (14%) | 18 mg (1%) |
| Cucumber, with peel, raw (168409) | 100 g | 1 cucumber, 301 g | 15 | 3.6 g | 0.5 g (2%) | 95.2 g | 147 mg (3%) | 16.4 mcg (14%) | 2 mg (0%) |
| Cucumber, peeled, raw (169225) | 100 g | 1 medium, 201 g | 10 | 2.2 g | 0.7 g (2%) | 96.7 g | 136 mg (3%) | 7.2 mcg (6%) | 2 mg (0%) |
Raw cucumber lists about 2 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams in USDA data; the dill pickle entry lists about 809 milligrams and the sour pickle entry about 1,208 milligrams, or 53% of the FDA Daily Value. The sweet pickle entry, which USDA notes includes bread and butter pickles, lists about 91 calories and 21.1 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams. The peel matters for vitamin K: USDA lists about 16.4 micrograms per 100 grams for cucumber with peel against 7.2 for peeled cucumber, and our low-sodium foods list and vitamin K foods guide give the wider picture.
The one-piece column changes the scale: USDA weighs a small dill pickle spear at 35 grams and a small sweet gherkin at 15 grams, while one whole raw cucumber weighs 301 grams in SR Legacy. Sodium in a jar varies by recipe, so the Nutrition Facts label, not the USDA average, is the figure for a packaged pickle.
From cucumber to pickle
University of Minnesota Extension calls pickling the time-honored way to preserve cucumbers, and Clemson Extension says pickling cucumbers are the type used to make pickles. Our pickles guide covers the finished product, and our fermented foods guide covers fermentation more broadly. Raw values in the table apply to fresh cucumbers only.
Cucumbers among vine crops
University of Minnesota Extension groups cucumbers with other vine crops such as squash, melons and pumpkins, which need warm weather to grow well; our guides to types of squash, zucchini and watermelon cover those relatives. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, list cucumber among other vegetables, alongside eggplant and tomatillos. For the other common salad crop, see our types of tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of cucumbers?
Clemson Cooperative Extension says cucumbers are typically divided into pickling and slicing types; Clemson and Minnesota Extension also describe seedless burpless or European-type cucumbers.
What is the difference between slicing and pickling cucumbers?
Clemson Extension says pickling cucumbers are shorter and blockier with bumpy skin, while slicing types are long and slender with softer flesh and are typically eaten raw.
Can pickling cucumbers be eaten raw?
Yes: Clemson Extension says they may also be eaten raw, and Minnesota Extension says they often have very good flavor for salads.
Why are some cucumbers seedless?
Minnesota Extension says some newer varieties set fruit without pollination, and these fruits are seedless or nearly so; Clemson calls them parthenocarpic hybrids.
What makes a cucumber bitter?
Minnesota Extension names the compound cucurbitacin and says its concentration varies among varieties; Clemson Extension adds temperature swings and storage near ripening vegetables.
How much sodium does a pickled cucumber list compared with a raw one?
In USDA data, raw cucumber with peel lists about 2 milligrams per 100 grams, a dill pickle about 809 milligrams and a sour pickle about 1,208 milligrams.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Tomatoes: Determinate, Indeterminate, Cherry and Plum, Cucumber Benefits: USDA Cucumber Nutrition, Calories and Safety, Pickled Vegetables: 11 Types Ranked by Sodium in USDA Data, Types of Squash: Summer and Winter Kinds with USDA Values.