Citrullus lanatus
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SIT-troo-lus la-NAY-tus
- Description
-
Watermelon is an annual, prostrate, vining vegetable that produces large, spherical to oval, edible, wet, fleshy fruits. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae (cucumber) family and originated in Africa.
Watermelon is easily grown from seed and does best in areas with long warm summers. Plant after all chance of frost has passed and the ground is warm. Choose a site that receives full sun and has loamy soil with a neutral pH. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Harvest the fruit only when ripe.
There are more than 1000 watermelon cultivars available. Vines can be up to 10 feet wide. The juicy fruits mature late summer and can weigh 6 to 60 pounds or more. The fruit is generally red with seeds but can also be pink or yellow. Seedless varieties are available.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Plants are susceptible to mites, squash vine borers, aphids, squash bugs, stink bugs, cutworms, pickleworm, cucumber beetles, downy and powdery mildews, bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, blossom end rot, and anthracnose. Pollination may be hindered by cold rainy weather. Stress from heat, excessive water ,or poor pollination may result in poor fruit set.
VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Penny Perkins-Veazie, Professor and Postharvest Physiologist at NC State's Plants for Human Health Institute
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Crimson Sweet'
15-25 oval fruits with pink flesh - 'Farmers Wonderful'
Seedless 8 inch round fruits with red flesh - 'Mini Love'
3-5 lbs. with red flesh - 'Starlight'
8 inch fruits 10-12 lbs with red flesh - 'Sugar Baby'
6-8 inch round fruits - 'Sunshine'
8-10 lbs with yellow flesh
- 'Crimson Sweet'
- 'Crimson Sweet', 'Farmers Wonderful', 'Mini Love', 'Starlight', 'Sugar Baby', 'Sunshine'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Crimson Sweet'
15-25 oval fruits with pink flesh - 'Farmers Wonderful'
Seedless 8 inch round fruits with red flesh - 'Mini Love'
3-5 lbs. with red flesh - 'Starlight'
8 inch fruits 10-12 lbs with red flesh - 'Sugar Baby'
6-8 inch round fruits - 'Sunshine'
8-10 lbs with yellow flesh
- 'Crimson Sweet'
- 'Crimson Sweet', 'Farmers Wonderful', 'Mini Love', 'Starlight', 'Sugar Baby', 'Sunshine'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Citrullus
- Species:
- lanatus
- Family:
- Cucurbitaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Africa
- Climbing Method:
- Tendrils
- Edibility:
- The fruit can be eaten raw or pickled. The rind is edible after cooking.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Vine
- Warm Season Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Prostrate
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The plant produces melons which are large modified berries called a pepo. They are rounded to oval mottled green with darker green rind. Black, cream or mottled colored elliptic seeds. Flesh general red or pink but can also be yellowish.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Separate male and female flowers develop on the same plant (monoecious) on a short stalk at a solitary leaf axil. There are 5 sepals and a 5-part corolla. The female flower has an inferior ovary and the male flower has 3 stamens. Melons develop from the female flower if successfully fertilized by the male flower.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Denticulate
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Large heart or oval-shaped leaves are hairy, especially on the underside veins. Palmately lobed with 3-5 lobes and may have secondary lobes. Margins are toothed, 3-8 inches long by 2-6 inches wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Dense woolly hairs on round to angular stems with curly tendrils
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
