Most of the plants in this family are annual vines, but some are woody lianas, thorny shrubs, or trees (Dendrosicyos).

[7]: 2 One of the oldest fossil cucurbits so far is †Cucurbitaciphyllum lobatum from the Paleocene epoch, found at Shirley Canal, Montana.

The fossil leaf is palmate, trilobed with rounded lobal sinuses and an entire or serrate margin.

[8] The most recent classification of Cucurbitaceae delineates 15 tribes:[9][10] Modern molecular phylogenetics suggest the following relationships:[9][11][12][13][14][15] Alsomitra Bayabusua Hemsleya Gomphogyne Gynostemma Neoalsomitra Fevillea Pteropepon Cyclantheropsis Sicydium Gerrardanthus Zanonia Siolmatra Xerosicyos Actinostemma Indofevillea Baijiania Thladiantha Siraitia Momordica Cogniauxia Telfairia Ampelosicyos Ecballium Bryonia Austrobryonia Nothoalsomitra Hodgsonia Echinocystis Marah Echinopepon Frantzia Cyclanthera Hanburia Sicyos Linnaeosicyos Luffa Trichosanthes Schizopepon Herpetospermum Bambekea Eureiandra Dendrosicyos Trochomeriopsis Seyrigia Corallocarpus Cucurbitella Doyerea Wilbrandia Psiguria Helmontia Gurania Melotrianthus Kedrostis Ceratosanthes Halosicyos Apodanthera Tumamoca Ibervillea Polyclathra Peponopsis Cucurbita Penelopeia Calycophysum Sicana Tecunumania Schizocarpum Cionosicys Abobra Cayaponia Zehneria Citrullus Peponium Lagenaria Acanthosicyos Raphidiocystis Cephalopentandra Lemurosicyos Solena Borneosicyos Benincasa Ctenolepis Dactyliandra Trochomeria Ruthalicia Indomelothria Melothria Coccinia Diplocyclos Papuasicyos Scopellaria Muellerargia Cucumis

Sweet potato whitefly is the vector of a number of cucurbit viruses that cause yellowing symptoms throughout the southern United States.