Watermelon

What it is

Watermelons range from round to long and oval, with plain or striped rinds. Sugar Baby is a compact, round variety about 15–20 cm (6–8 in) across. Red flesh is familiar, but yellow and pink varieties belong to the same fruit.

Seeded and seedless types both exist. The little white flecks in a seedless melon are soft, undeveloped seed coats; they can be eaten along with the flesh.

Where it comes from

Watermelon’s roots are African. Its closest relative is the Kordofan melon of Sudan, with whitish flesh that is not bitter. Watermelons were being grown in India by the seventh century and had reached China by the tenth.

In 2024 the world grew about 105 million tonnes of watermelon, with China producing 60% of the crop. India, Turkey, Algeria and Brazil are other major growers.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Rajasthan, India, matira curry turns watermelon into a savoury dish: cubes cook briefly in their own juice with cumin, dried chillies and ginger, then lime adds a sharp finish.

In Sicily, strained watermelon juice becomes gelu i muluni, a cool, spoonable pudding thickened with starch and scented with jasmine and cinnamon. Dark chocolate goes on top. In Palermo, where it is called gelo di mellone, the dessert is part of the July feast of the city’s patron saint, Rosalia.

How it's grown

Watermelon vines need a long, warm growing season. Even fields of seedless melons need pollen: growers plant a seeded pollinator variety among them. The fruit is picked by hand when fully ripe.

The patch that rests on the ground turns from white towards yellow, and the nearby tendril dries and browns. A watermelon stops ripening once it's picked, so one cut too early won't catch up on the kitchen counter.

When and where you'll find it

In the US, Florida’s main harvest usually runs from May through July. Farther north, Pennsylvania’s local crop usually runs from late July to late September. Whole melons and pre-cut pieces turn up in grocery stores, and in season at farmers’ markets and roadside stands.