Cantaloupe Melon Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KOO-koo-mis MEL-oh kan-ta-loo-PEN-sis
- Description
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Cantaloupe is a cultivar of the muskmelon, a member of the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family. Like its parent, it is a warm-season annual vine that produces large fruit. The parent plant is probably native to Asia, although it has been in cultivation for so long that its native habitat is lost in time. The genus name Cucumis is the Latin word for cucumber.
Cantaloupe needs full sun and well-drained, loose, moist, soils high in organic matter. Cantaloupe vines will grow in clay, but will likely need organic amendments to thrive. Consistent soil moisture and warm, sunny conditions are essential for this frost-tender plant. Plant seeds outdoors after the last spring frost or start the seeds indoors in pots or other containers about four to six weeks prior to the last spring frost date. Pick fruit when young (older melons toughen as they mature).
These vines produce large, sweet, juicy fruit whose average weight is 3 pounds, but can range from 1 to 11 pounds. The ripe melons have a sweet, musky scent.
Cantaloupe plants are long, trailing vines that are typically supported by cages or trellises. If there is enough space, though, they can be allowed to trail along the ground. They need a lot of space and are typically grown in an edible or cottage garden. With proper support they work well as a vertical planting.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Members of the Cucurbit family are subject to many insect pests and diseases, including cucumber beetles and wilt caused by cold weather stress.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common cucumis diseases as well as a factsheet on common insect pests and other problems.
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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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cucumis
- Species:
- melo
- Family:
- Cucurbitaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Edible fruit.
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Distribution:
- Introduced to Europe and the United States.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
- Tendrils
- Edibility:
- Eaten fresh, often as a breakfast fruit or as a dessert. Rich in vitamins B and C. The surface of a cantaloupe can contain harmful bacteria—in particular, Salmonella—and should be washed and scrubbed thoroughly before cutting and consumption.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Vine
- Warm Season Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Tendrils
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Large round with netted apperance inside sweet succulent orange edible flesh with a musky odor.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Yellow flowers with 5-parted corollas bloom throughout much of the growing season.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Edible Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems