where did melons come from

Melons come from Africa and southwest Asia. They gradually began to appear in Europe toward the end of the Roman Empire. Melons were introduced to America by early settlers, who grew honeydew

and casaba melons as early as the 1600s.

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What is the sweetest melon?

Sangria

• “Gold standard” for eating quality in the Allsweet market
• Fruit averages 18-22 pounds
• Dark red flesh with superior eating quality
• Good shipper with a following among growers, brokers, and shippers. Available from Syngenta.

What are the health benefits of melons?

Top 13 Health Benefits Of Melon

1. Strengthens Immune System. It stimulates red blood cells and revitalizes the immune system. ...
2. Preserves Heart and Vein Health. It is rich in potassium and protects cardiovascular health. ...
3. Prevent Cancer. ...
4. Helps to Fight Stress. ...
5. Protects Eye Health. ...

What are the benefits of a melon?

According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C is involved in the production of:

• blood vessels
• cartilage
• muscle
• collagen in bones

What are the names of melons?

What’s the best tasting watermelon?

• Picnic. Allsweet. Charleston Gray. Crimson Sweet.
• Icebox. Blacktail Mountain. Bush Sugar Baby. Sweet Beauty.
• Personal. Golden Midget. Little Darling.
• Giant. Black Diamond Yellow Belly. Carolina Cross #183.
• Seedless. Big Tasty. Mini Piccolo.
• Orange, Yellow, or White Flesh. Orange Crisp. Orangeglo.

Where was melon first found?

northeastern AfricaParis says the true ancestor of the modern watermelon is indigenous to northeastern Africa: citrullus lanatus var. colocynthoides, known as gurum in Sudan and gurma in Egypt.

Where did melons first come from?

AfricaMelons originated in Africa or in the hot valleys of Southwest Asia, especially Iran and India, from where they gradually began to appear in Europe toward the end of the Western Roman Empire. Melons are known to have been grown by the ancient Egyptians.

How did melons get to America?

It was brought to America by some of the earliest European colonists, being common in Massachusetts in 1629. The Florida Indians were said to have been growing watermelons by the mid-1600's, and Father Marquette, French explorer of the Mississippi, mentioned them in 1673 as being grown in the interior of the country.

What is the difference between melon and watermelon?

The main difference between watermelons and melons is seeds – watermelon seeds are spread throughout the fruit, while melons have a central seed cavity. In Australia, melons and watermelons are grown mainly in warmer, northern areas, as they don't tolerate frost.

Did watermelon originate in Africa?

Background and Aims Watermelons, Citrullus species (Cucurbitaceae), are native to Africa and have been cultivated since ancient times. The fruit flesh of wild watermelons is watery, but typically hard-textured, pale-coloured and bland or bitter.

What fruit is native to America?

— blueberries, cranberries, huckleberries, farkleberries have their origins in North America although they are now cultivated worldwide. Rubus spp. — blackberries, dewberries, raspberries. There are also species that have origins in the Old World.

Where are cantaloupes native to?

Cantaloupe has been growing since ancient times in the Nile River Valley in Egypt. It likely first originated in the Middle East or India, but ancient Egyptians and Romans are known to have grown the melon. Cantaloupe was introduced to Europe in the 15th century and became a popular fruit due to its sweetness.

What is the original color of watermelon?

Traditional watermelons get their signature pink hue from lycopene, the same antioxidant that makes tomatoes and grapefruits red. Yellow watermelons, however, don't contain lycopene, so they never take on a reddish color. Surprisingly, the cultivation of yellow watermelons came before pink watermelons.

Is watermelon native to America?

It was found growing in Florida as early as 1576 and in Massachusetts by 1629. Thomas Jefferson grew watermelon at Monticello and, by the early part of our nation's history, it was being grown by Native American's from the Mississippi Valley south to Florida.

Is melon healthier than watermelon?

Melon is richer in vitamins as it contains more vitamin K by 2400%, vitamin B6 by 262%, and vitamin C by 169%. On the other hand, watermelon contains more vitamin B5 by about 163%. Watermelon contains less sodium and more phosphorus, but melon is richer in iron, calcium, potassium, and copper.

Are all melons berries?

All of the melons are vine-forming annuals that produce what is known by botanists as a “pepo” — actually a type of berry, rather than a true fruit. A pepo has a thick rind with a fleshy interior, housing seeds at its centre. Other plants that produce pepos include bananas, squashes, blueberries, and cranberries.

Which melon is the healthiest?

Watermelon contains the least amount of calories, coming in at 46 calories per one-cup serving. However, it's loaded with the antioxidant lycopene, which is linked to decreased risk of cancer, heart disease and age-related eye disorders, and contains a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

Where Did Watermelons Originally Come From?

The origins of watermelon have been traced back to the deserts of southern Africa.

When did melons come to America?

Answer- Melons come from Africa and southwest Asia. They gradually began to appear in Europe toward the end of the Roman Empire. Melons were introduced to America by early settlers, who grew honeydew and casaba melons as early as the 1600s.

Which melon is the healthiest?

Answer- Both cantaloupe and honeydew melon are good choices, though cantaloupe contains more antioxidants.

Where do melon plants grow?

The melon plant is native to central Asia, and its many cultivated varieties are widely grown in warm regions around the world. Most commercially important melons are sweet and eaten fresh, though some varieties can be made into preserves or pickled. Melons are frost-tender annuals with soft hairy trailing stems and clasping tendrils.

What is the name of the group of melons that grow up to 7 cm in diameter?

Inodorus group, the winter melons, which are large, smooth-skinned, mildly flavoured, and light green- to white-fleshed. They include the honeydew, casaba, and Persian melons. Flexuosus group, the snake or serpent melons, which grow up to 7 cm (3 inches) in diameter and about 1 metre (3 feet) in length.

What are some plants that are similar to melons?

Plants resembling true melons include the related watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus) and Chinese watermelon, or wax gourd ( Benincasa hispida ), as well as the unrelated tree melon, or papaya ( Carica papaya, family Caricaceae), and melon shrub, or pear melon ( Solanum muricatum, family Solanaceae ).

How much does a cantaloupe weigh?

They generally weigh 1–4 kg (2–9 pounds). Cantaloupes and netted melons are ripe when they give off a sweet fruity odour, at which time they “slip,” or break, readily at the union of fruit and stalk. Honeydews and casabas are ripe when they turn yellow, at which time they are cut from the vine.

What is a nutmeg melons?

Reticulatus group, the netted, or nutmeg, melons, including the small muskmelons, having a net-ribbed rind and sweet orange flesh. The melons sold as “cantaloupes” in the United States are often the netted types of this group.

What is a vine?

Vine, Plant whose stem requires support and that climbs by tendrils or twining or creeps along the ground, or the stem of such a plant. Examples include bittersweet, most grapes, some honeysuckles, ivy, lianas, and melons.….

What is the name of the fruit that is orange shaped?

Chito group, the mango melons, which are usually the size and shape of a lemon or orange and have whitish cucumber-like flesh. Dudaim group, sometimes called the stinking melons, which are characterized by orange-sized, highly fragrant, but inedible ornamental fruit.

Where was watermelon domesticated?

That, in turn, suggests that the watermelon was most likely domesticated around that time either in Egypt or within trading distance of the ancient empire. "The ancient Nubians who lived in modern-day Sudan are often overlooked in favor of the Egyptians," Renner said.

Where is the watermelon fruit found?

The image of a watermelon-like fruit found in an ancient Egyptian tomb belonging to Chnumhotep in Saqqara. (Image credit: Sussane Renner) Historically speaking, that's a very significant finding, said Hanno Schaefer, a professor of plant biodiversity at the Technical University of Munich.

What fruit was cut up on a tray in the tomb?

In a separate tomb, "another image shows the watermelon cut up on a tray alongside other sweet fruits, such as grapes.". This realization, coupled with Renner's genetic findings, begin to paint a picture of ancient Egyptians enjoying domesticated and sweet watermelons.

Why is red fruit red?

The red color is probably also thanks to artificial selection, in which farmers likely favored and selectively bred red fruit. When this happened and which civilization is responsible for it is slightly less clear, but Renner attempted to answer this question.

Where is the watermelon in Egypt?

Image 1 of 2Image 2 of 2. A magnified look at the watermelon-like painting in the ancient tomb in Saqqara. (Image credit: Sussane Renner) The image of a watermelon-like fruit found in an ancient Egyptian tomb belonging to Chnumhotep in Saqqara. (Image credit: Sussane Renner) Image 1 of 2.

Where did thirst-quenching fruit come from?

The thirst-quenching fruit isn't from the Fertile Crescent of ancient Mesopotamia, as so many other domesticated crops are, research shows.

Did Tutankhamun have watermelon seeds?

We already knew that the ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun was buried with watermelon seeds 3,300 years ago, but that isn't sufficient proof of a domesticated, sweet watermelon. "The seeds may have been used as savory snacks from a wild watermelon," Renner said.

Where does the watermelon come from?

Our analysis showed that the closest relative to the domesticated watermelon is the Kordofan melon ( C. lanatus subsp. cordophanus) from Sudan in North East Africa. The wild, and possible ancestor, Kordofan melon has a white non-bitter pulp.

How many watermelon are there in the world?

It’s estimated that over 200 million tonnes of watermelons are produced globally every year and is one of the top 10 most important crops in Central Asia. However, the fruit is highly susceptible to a range of diseases and pests, for example the watermelon mosaic virus, all of which can affect quality and yields.

What is the pink flesh of a watermelon?

By Dr Oscar Alejandro Pérez Escobar and Dr Chelsea Snell. Squeezed and sliced into fresh cocktails and salads, the bright pink juicy flesh of a watermelon is an iconic summer delight.

Who studied watermelon DNA?

In a study led by Prof. Susanne Renner (University of Munich) and Dr. Guillaume Chomicki (University of Sheffield), and working with partner institutions such as the Boyce Thompson Institute and the Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, we sequenced the DNA of watermelon and other Citrullus species.

Can you eat watermelon raw?

Watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus) is part of Citrullus, a genus that contains six other wild species, most of which can't be eaten raw due to the bitter tasting compounds cucurbitacins, which can also kill you.

Where did watermelon come from?

Where Your Watermelon Came From. A genetic analysis of a melon found in Sudan may point to the wild fruit that gave rise to one of summertime’s sweetest treats. Genetic analyses revealed that the Sudanese Kordofan melon, which has nonbitter whitish pulp, may be the closest relative to our sweet, red, delicious summer favorite.

Where did the Kordofan melon originate?

The find suggests that watermelon is East African, and the Kordofan melon’s genetics could be ripe pickings for breeders hoping to improve future watermelon varieties. Because Kordofan is not far from Egypt, it may also suggest an origin for the mysterious ovoid green fruit painted on that tomb wall. Image. A Kordofan melon.

What is the sweetest fruit in summer?

A genetic analysis of a melon found in Sudan may point to the wild fruit that gave rise to one of summertime’s sweetest treats. Genetic analyses revealed that the Sudanese Kordofan melon, which has nonbitter whitish pulp, may be the closest relative to our sweet, red, delicious summer favorite.

Where is the Kordofan melon from?

But a paper published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences finds that the small, round Kordofan melon, native to the Kordofan region of Sudan, is much more closely genetically related to our modern watermelon.

Is a Kordofan melon a watermelon?

But the Kordofan melon is sweet. That suggested it or one of its ancestors could be the source of the modern watermelon. To see where it fell in the watermelon family tree, the researchers behind the current paper sequenced the genomes of seven Citrullus species.

Is there a wild version of the Kordofan melon?

It’s not clear if there are still any wild versions of the Kordofan melon or its relatives growing in Sudan, Dr. Chomicki said. In the 1800s, the German botanist wrote, there were patches of the melons growing wild.

Is watermelon raw or raw?

It’s big, fat, green and generously striped: Everything you’d expect a watermelon to be. It’s next to grapes and other fruits, suggesting it was eaten back then as we eat watermelon now, raw and for its sweet taste. This detail of a painting in the tomb of Khnumhotep in Saqqara was a puzzle. While scientists believed that watermelon’s wild ...

Where did watermelon come from?

Watermelons were brought to Americas by European colonists and by slave trade from Africa. The first ones were grown in Florida in the 16th century. Later, in the 17th century, they were grown in Massachusetts, Peru, Brazil, Panama and many British and Dutch colonies.

When did watermelons become an everyday food?

They spread from there and by the 2000th year BC they were cultivated and became an everyday food in ancient Egypt. One of the earliest proofs of that are the hieroglyphs on the buildings from that time that tell stories about the harvesting of watermelons.

Why are watermelon seeds different?

They have different shapes, colors (both inside and outside) and characteristics. Because seeds of watermelon are a bit inconvenient while eating, one of the variants is made not to have them.

How are watermelons grown in Japan?

In Japan, people grow cube watermelons. They are grown by placing them into a cube mold made of durable glass, and they grow in the shape of the cube so they can fit into a small refrigerator (Japan has a problem with lack of space for decades now). Some of these practical watermelons reach the price of over $300.

How much does a watermelon cost?

Some of these practical watermelons reach the price of over $300. Other variants are made to have harder rinds so they could survive longer (and rougher) transportation or are made to be more resilient which makes them suitable for growing in places that don't have a hot climate.

Why is watermelon so popular?

Its popularity in the hot, desert regions can be attributed to the high amount of water that watermelon contains. Even Bible mentions watermelon as the food of ancient Israelites who were a slave in Egypt at that time.

How long can a watermelon grow?

Watermelon is grown annually and can be up to 3 meters long.

Where did watermelons come from?

Native to Africa, it was a valuable and portable source of water for desert situations and when natural water supplies were contaminated. Watermelons were cultivated in Egypt and India as far back as 2500 B.C. as evidenced in ancient hieroglyphics. Featured Video.

What is the botanical name for watermelon?

Watermelon's botanical name, Citrullus vulgaris, comes from the diminutive form of citrus, referring to the color and shape of the fruit, and vulgaris meaning common or ordinary fruit. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where its English common name, watermelon, comes from. The flesh of this succulent fruit is over 90 percent water.

What is the most common use of watermelon?

The most common usage of watermelon is to chill the melon and slice or cut into cubes for a quick cold snack or dessert . A popular American line dance honors the watermelon called the Watermelon Crawl. In Italy, watermelon pudding is a popular dessert usually made of watermelon, almonds, chocolate, and cinnamon.

Is watermelon good for pickles?

Watermelon's refreshingly sweet flesh is also wonderful as an ice and in mixed fruit and melon cups. A Southern favorite in the USA is pickles made from the watermelon rind. Watermelon is also an excellent choice for those with an artistic flair who enjoy making edible sculptures.

Where did watermelon originate?

A scrambling and trailing vine -like plant, it was originally domesticated in Africa. It is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieties . Wild watermelon seeds have been found in the prehistoric Libyan site of Uan Muhuggiag.

Where were watermelon seeds found?

colocynthis in the Nile Valley has been found from the second millennium BC onward, and seeds of both species have been found at Twelfth Dynasty sites and in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Watermelons were cultivated for their high water content and were stored to be eaten during dry seasons, not only as a food source, but as a method of storing water. Watermelon seeds were also found in the Dead Sea region at the ancient settlements of Bab edh-Dhra and Tel Arad.

What is a watermelon?

Momordica lanata Thunb. A tsamma in the Kalahari Desert. Naturalized in Australia. Watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus) is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family. A scrambling and trailing vine -like plant, it was originally domesticated in Africa.

How long does it take for a watermelon to grow?

Watermelons have a longer growing period than other melons, and can often take 85 days or more from the time of transplanting for the fruit to mature. Lack of pollen is thought to contribute to "hollow heart" which causes the flesh of the watermelon to develop a large hole, sometimes in an intricate, symmetric shape.

What is a watermelon called?

Watermelon is grown in favorable climates from tropical to temperate regions worldwide for its large edible fruit, which is a berry with a hard rind and no internal divisions, and is botanically called a pepo. The sweet, juicy flesh is usually deep red to pink, with many black seeds, although seedless varieties exist.

When was the sweet watermelon first described?

Taxonomy. The sweet watermelon was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and given the name Cucurbita citrullus. It was reassigned to the genus Citrullus in 1836, under the replacement name Citrullus vulgaris, by the German botanist Heinrich Adolf Schrader.

How much does a watermelon weigh?

The 'Carolina Cross' produced the current world record for heaviest watermelon, weighing 159 kg (351 lb). It has green skin, red flesh and commonly produces fruit between 29 and 68 kg (65 and 150 lb).