Who introduced this African berry to the Americas?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

January 27, 2004

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The berry ripens only during hot weather, a trait carried from its original habitat in tropical Africa. It is served as a dessert or in fruit salads; the sweet juicy flesh is red from its high lycopene content. The USDA estimates that in 2001, 4 billion pounds of the fruit were grown in the U.S. with most of that crop consumed domestically at 14.7 pounds per person. That crop's value at the time of shipping was $276.9 million dollars. The berry is the watermelon
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Congo Watermelon 85 days-One of the highest sugar contents of any melon!—Congo yields extra-large fruits, up to 50 lbs. Widely adapted and disease resistant.

What would a summer picnic be without watermelon? Sweet, crisp and juicy, watermelon varieties have similar nutritional content. They are 90-95 percent water, low in calories and contain no cholesterol. Sugar content or sweetness ranges between 12-15 percent. Bonus: They contain cancer-fighting antioxidants! Click here - $20 off at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery! Vegetable Seeds!

(Citrullus lanatus (Thunberg) Matsumura & Nakai).

The watermelon is thought native to somewhere near the Kalahari. The plant provides food and water for wildlife, native peoples, and travelers through the desert. Watermelon was domesticated around 4,000 years ago; it was introduced to the ancient Egyptians and grown in the fertile soils of the Nile Valley.

Although, the Greeks and Romans traveling to Egypt had to have known of watermelons, the fruit was not introduced to Europe until after the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Tarik ibn Ziyad in 711. Berbers (Moors) settling Spain and Portugal brought the fruit across the Strait from North Africa. Watermelons did not spread through Europe quickly; it took until the 16^th and 17^th centuries before the fruit was commonly cultivated.

The Spanish introduced the fruit to the Americas in the 1500s and watermelon cultivation spread rapidly among American natives. Watermelon seed trade is said to have moved through the Americas faster than European explorers. Watermelons were grown in Massachusetts and Florida in the early 1600s and French explorers arriving in the Mississippi Valley in the late 1600s found the natives already enjoying the fruit.

The Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida has a photograph of watermelon taken by Walter Hodge. To view the photograph, click on the link:

http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/main.asp?plantID=331

Click on the 'Images' tab and on the thumbnail to enlarge the image.

(Compiled from: "Watermelon" and "Citrullus", Hortus Third, Staff H.L. Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, 1976; "Citrullus lanatus", Hamish Robertson, Biodiversity Explorer, Iziko Museums of Cape Town, 2003; and "About Watermelons (Citrullus lanatus)", Eric and Lynn Walker.)

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Henry Field's Sweet Cheer Hybrid Watermelon

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery®

Henry Field's Sweet Cheer Hybrid produces 24-26 lb. melons with robust rind and flavorful crisp flesh. Excellent holding. Resists Anthracnose and Fusarium.

What would a summer picnic be without watermelon? Sweet, crisp and juicy, watermelon varieties have similar nutritional content. They are 90-95 percent water, low in calories and contain no cholesterol. Sugar content or sweetness ranges between 12-15 percent. How can you resist growing some of these! Bonus: They contain cancer-fighting antioxidants! Click here - $20 off at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery! [Vegetable Seeds!] [All On Sale Today!]

Rattlesnake Watermelon

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Big and Super Sweet

A Southern heirloom variety grown by generations of gardeners, and still seen in the supermarket today. Rattlesnake Watermelon have large oval fruits with beautifully patterned "rattlesnake" markings average 25-45 pounds, can reach up to 75 pounds. 90 DAYS.

Who needs dessert when you’ve got this incredibly sweet and juicy treat? Even small-space gardeners can grow compact varieties.

Comments: Old southern favorite, becoming rare. Can grow up to 75 lbs. Uniform size and shape. Very productive. Over 45 years old. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [More Melons!]

Crimson Sweet Watermelon

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Famous for Flavor

Gurney's Choice Deep crimson flesh is bursting with juice and so sweet, the 20- to 25-pound melons will disappear from your refrigerator in no time flat! Fine-grained flesh. Crimson Sweet Watermelon resists fusarium wilt, anthracnose. 88 DAYS.

Who needs dessert when you’ve got this incredibly sweet and juicy treat? Even small-space gardeners can grow compact varieties.

Comments: Disease resistant - fusarium wilt and anthracnose. High sugar content. Contains a few small seeds. Good keeper. Variety at least 35 years old. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [More Melons!]

Gurneys Delight Hybrid Watermelon

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Sweet, Crisp and Seedless

Gurney's Choice Seedless fruit has the famed Crimson Sweet flavor, incredibly sweet and juicy! Thicker rinds earn the melons hold longer after harvest.

Gurney's Delight Hybrid Watermelon is vigorous medium- size plants produce family-size, 12-15 pound fruits. Anthracnose resistant. 90 DAYS.

Who needs dessert when you’ve got this incredibly sweet and juicy treat? Even small-space gardeners can grow compact varieties. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
[More Melons!]

Desert King Watermelon

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Drought Resistant and Delicious

Sails through dry spells, stays sweet and juicy. Desert King Watermelon has deep yellow-fleshed fruits are a tasty change of pace from pink and red melons. Light green oblong fruits hold on the vine without sunburn a month after ripening. 85 DAYS.

Who needs dessert when you’ve got this incredibly sweet and juicy treat? Even small-space gardeners can grow compact varieties.

Comments: Incredibly drought resistant. Grayish-black seeds. Holds quality on vine for up to a month after ripening. Good shipper. Does not sunburn. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [More Melons!]

Sugar Baby Watermelon

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Compact Vines, Consistent Yields

Sugar Baby Watermelon saves space in the garden and in the refrigerator. The only thing oversized is the flavor--rich and incredibly sweet. Compact vines produce plenty of 6- to 10-pound fruits packed with sweet red-orange flesh. Dependably productive, resistant to drought and disease. 85 DAYS.

Who needs dessert when you’ve got this incredibly sweet and juicy treat? Even small-space gardeners can grow compact varieties.

Comments: Firm, sweet red-orange flesh. Small dark-brown apple like seeds. Early producer of small melons. Ideal size for storing in refrigerator. Drought resistant. Heavy producer. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [More Melons!]

Jubilee Watermelon

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery®

95 days-Improved drought-tolerance and disease-resistance.

Oblong, green-striped fruits, 35 lbs. on average. Jubillee is a good pick for the south. Click - $20 off at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery!

What would a summer picnic be without watermelon? Sweet, crisp and juicy, watermelon varieties have similar nutritional content. They are 90-95 percent water, low in calories and contain no cholesterol. Sugar content or sweetness ranges

between 12-15 percent. How can you resist growing some of these! Bonus: They contain cancer-fighting antioxidants! Vegetable Seeds! [All On Sale Today!]