Melons: origin, types and diversity

The watermelon is probably the most famous melon. But there are many other delicious types. We bring light into the darkness of the variety of melons.

Melons are one of the most popular fruits in summer and the cultivation is enjoying increasing growth in Germany. Whether served in a fruit salad or simply chilled - from watermelon to honeydew melon, the exotic fruit is refreshing with a sweet and fruity flesh. But what others Types and varieties of melons does it exist besides these two and where does the melon originally come from?

Melons: origin and characteristics

Nowadays melons are grown worldwide, mostly in the warmer regions of Asia. Originally, however, all melon species come from West to Central Africa, where they have been known for over 3000 years. In the course of time, the various types of melons have spread across Africa and Asia to the Mediterranean region. In addition to the cultivated forms, nowadays there are also wild forms in Africa and Australia.

Contrary to popular belief, melons are not fruit, but vegetables. The decisive factor here is not the sweet taste, but whether the plant is annual or perennial. Since melons have to be replanted every year, it is therefore a vegetable. You can find more information about this in our article "Why are watermelons a vegetable?“. But the different types and varieties of melons can also differ greatly from one another in terms of taste. In the following we will introduce you to the different variations.

Melons: variety and types

When one speaks of melons, one refers to two different types: The Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and the sugar melon (Cucumis melo). Although both belong to the cucurbitaceae family and are known as melons, they are not very closely related. Curiously, there is a closer relationship between the sugar melon and the cucumber than between the two types of melon. Overall, it can be said that sugar melons are more diverse than watermelons, which are either grown in the cultivated species (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) or the overgrown form (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) appear.

The following overview is intended to give an overview of the types of melons and different varieties:

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

1. Citrullus lanatuslanatus: Cultivated form
2. Citrullus lanatuscitroides: Wild form

Popular varieties for growing melons are:

Bush sugar baby

• New breed that emerged from Sugar Baby
• Early ripening with smaller fruits: 2 - 4 kg (1 - 2 fruits per plant)
• Red flesh with a dark skin
• Plant remains quite compact (1 square meter per plant)

Crimson Sweet

• Worldwide popular and popular variety
• Oval and light green fruits. High fruit weight: 5 - 8 kg
• Aromatic, light red pulp
• Good resistance to leaf rot and other fungal diseases
• 1.5 - 2 square meters per plant

Sugar melon (Cucumis melo)

1. Honeydew melon (syn. Yellow Canary, Amarillo)
2. Net melon (incl. Galia melon)
3. Cantaloupe melon (incl. Charentais)
4. Futoromelon (syn. Piel de Sap, Santa Claus melon, Christmas melon)
5. Koreamelone (syn. Makuwa, Chamoe)
6. Oriental pickling melon

Popular varieties for growing are:

Giallo Canaria 3

• Yellow Canarian honeydew melon
• Oval and yellow fruits
• White and sweet pulp
• 1.5 square meters per plant

Bari F1

• Cantaloupe melon
• Round fruits with orange pulp and gray skin
• Very aromatic
• 1 - 2 square meters per plant

Hales Best

• Net melon
• Round fruits with a white-gray network structure as a shell
• Orange to red pulp
• 1 - 2 square meters per plant

Stellio F1

• Charentais melon
• Round, gray fruits
• Strongly fragrant
• 1 - 2 square meters per plant

Melon varieties: find suitable varieties

With such a large selection of species and varieties, it is not easy to choose the most suitable melon for growing in the garden. The decision should be made based on personal taste and needs. Since melons belong to the warmth-loving plants, you should also choose a suitable variety for cultivation in Germany. You can find the right one here Variety of melon for your garden.

Once you've found a suitable strain, the next step is this Planting the melons. This article provides helpful tips on location, care, and harvest.