Wild Cucumber

Windbreaks are very important to many acreage owners throughout Nebraska. A windbreak is used to block the wind, as the name implies. Winter winds can be very strong and a windbreak will help to reduce those winds, which will in turn reduce heating bills. Windbreaks can be built from a variety of trees and shrubs which are typically fairly tolerant of many problems. However, we do still see problems from bagworms, some fungal diseases, and weeds growing around the trees. A windbreak weed that is quite prevalent this year is wild cucumber or burcucumber.

About Wild Cucumber

Wild cucumber is an annual weed that grows up and over our windbreak trees. Due to all the rain we saw this spring, it is growing voraciously over our trees across the Nebraska countryside. It vines and has leaves similar to cucumber plants. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem and have…