Herb. No. 220 · Cucurbitaceae
Northeast African origin; a hot-season melon from Egypt to the American picnic.
Native · Africa
Native Also grownNow a garden plant worldwide
LegalGentleplant
Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
Fruit & vegetableHarvestCompanions
An African melon that is mostly water and a summer argument about who gets the heart.
Watermelon is an African cucurbit. Traditional use is as ripe sweet flesh, pickled rind, and roasted seed. Culinary amounts are the path. Wild citron types are hard and bland-to-bitter — not this plate. A dull thud and a yellow ground spot beat a shiny grocery bowling ball. Seedless types are triploids, still fruit, still food.
Flavor
Sugar water, a little green rind. The heart is the prize. Yellow-fleshed types are honeydew-adjacent.
Parts used
Ripe flesh · Seed · Rind (pickle)
Helpful
- A true summer crop
- Seed is a second food
Cautions
- Takes a bed
- Bland if picked underripe
- A bitter citron type is not dessert