19 Types of Melons And What Is Distinctive About Them

“Men and Melons are hard to know” – Benjamin Franklin

As the great American sage Benjamin rightly said in the above quote, melons are really hard to know.

This is true in both respects.

First, the beautiful-looking cantaloupe may not be perfect.

Secondly, there are so many types of melons today that it is difficult to say which one belongs to which genus, etc.

So why not make it easy once and for all?

Let’s categorize popular melon varieties in the easiest way in this blog. (Types of Melons)

interesting facts

In 2018, China was the world’s largest melon producer with 12.7 million tons, followed by Turkey.

Types of Melons

How many types of melons are there in the world?

Botanically, melons belong to the Cucurbitaceae family with three genera, Benincasa, Cucumis and Citrullus. We have dozens more species than each of these genera. (Types of Melons)

Citrullus

The species that fall into this genus are just two, including watermelon, the world’s most popular melon, and another known as citron.

Let’s get to know both in detail. (Types of Melons)

1. Watermelon

There are more than 50 varieties of melons that differ in color, size and shape. But almost all of them have a similar flesh and taste.

This sweetest melon is eaten raw after being cut into slices and loved around the world for its water content, which keeps you hydrated in summer. (Types of Melons)

Do you know?
Watermelon has the highest sugar content of all melons, with 18 g of sugar in just one medium wedge.

Its history is as old as 5000 years, and the very little water in the African deserts has made it extremely important due to its extraordinary ability to store water.

Scientific Name	Citrullus lanatus
Native to	Africa
Shape	Round, Oval
Rind	Dark Green to Light Green with a yellow splotch
Flesh	Pink to reddish
How’s it eaten?	As fruit (rarely vegetable)
Taste	Too sweet

2. Citron Melon

It can be called a relative of the watermelon, as its fruit is almost similar externally. But the main difference is that unlike watermelon, it cannot simply be sliced and eaten raw. They are mainly used as preservatives as they contain plenty of pectin. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Citrullus amarus
Native to	Africa
Shape	Round
Rind	Green with golden tinges
Flesh	Hard white
How’s it eaten?	Pickle, fruit preserve, or cattle feed
Taste	Not sweet

Benincasa

There is only one member in this family, called the winter melon, which is discussed below. (Types of Melons)

3. Winter Melon or Ash gourd

Mainly used as a vegetable, winter squash is also used in stews, stir-fries and soups. Because it has a mild flavor, it is cooked with strongly flavored products such as chicken to get a richer flavor.

In countries like the Indian subcontinent, it is known for raising energy levels and improving digestion. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Benincasa hispida
Native to	South & South East Asia
Shape	Oval (sometimes round)
Rind	Dark green to pale green
Flesh	Thick White
How’s it eaten?	As vegetable
Taste	Mild taste; Cucumber like

Cucumis

All melons in the Cucumin genus are culinary fruits and include the melons we eat as fruit in our daily lives, including the horned melon and different types of melons mentioned below.

4. Horned Melon or Kiwano

This scary looking melon is unique in that it has horns on it. It tastes like a cucumber when unripe, and a banana when ripe.

It is mainly grown in Newzealand and the USA.

The jelly-like flesh also has edible seeds. However, the peel is completely inedible. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis metuliferus
Native to	Africa
Shape	Oval with distinctive spikes
Rind	Yellow to Orange
Flesh	Jelly-like light green
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit, In smoothies, sundae
Taste	Mild, slightly sweet like banana, slightly cucumber-like

Now to the melons.

Scientifically, the melon is called Cucumis melo, followed by a specific cultivar name.

Most of the types of melons we eat as fruit are musk melons and are often called large melons. So, let’s discuss them in detail. (Types of Melons)

5. European Cantaloupe

What is an orange melon called?

Melons are called orange melons because they have juicy, sweet orange flesh. They take their name from a small town called Canalupa, located near Rome.

European melons are actually real melons: different from what Americans think of them.

Melon is extremely beneficial for having antioxidants and almost 100% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C – an immune-boosting vitamin. (Types of Melons)

They are also sliced before serving.

Scientific Name	C. melo cantalupensis
Native to	Europe
Shape	Oval
Rind	Light Green
Flesh	Orange-yellow
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Very sweet

Do you know?
In 2019, an American named William grew the world’s heaviest melon, weighing 30.47 kg.

6. North American Cantaloupe

This melon is common in parts of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This is a melon with a web-like rind. It is eaten as a fruit like other melons.

California is the largest American state that produces these melons. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo reticulatus
Native to	US, Canada, Mexico
Shape	Round
Rind	Net-like pattern
Flesh	Firm orange flesh, moderately sweet
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Subtler (less distinct than EU cantaloupe)

7. Galia

The common name of this melon in Southeast Asia is Sarda. The net-covered melon is a hybrid between Krimka and the green-fleshed melon Ha-Ogen.

It is also eaten as a fruit. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo var. reticulatus (hybrid)
Native to	Vietnam
Shape	Round
Rind	Net-like pattern
Flesh	Yellow
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Spicy sweet (with perfumed aromatics)

8. Honeydew

Which of all melons is the sweetest?

Ripe melons are considered the sweetest of all melons. They are characterized by pale green flesh and a sweet-smelling aroma. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo L. (Inodorus Group)‘Honey Dew’
Native to	Middle Eastern
Shape	Round to slightly oval
Rind	Light green to full yellow
Flesh	Pale green
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Sweetest of all the melons

9. Casaba Melon

This melon is very closely similar to the honey melon, which is the same shape and size but different in taste. It tastes more like cucumber instead of being sweet like honeydew. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo L.
Native to	Middle East
Shape	Round to slightly oval
Rind	Golden yellow with wrinkles
Flesh	Light whitish-yellow
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Sweet with a slight spiciness

10. Persian Melon

These are tall melons with extremely juicy and sweet flesh. When they mature, their color turns light green. These melons are cholesterol- and fat-free, with higher amounts of vitamins A and C. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo cantalupensis
Native to	Iran
Shape	Oval or Round
Rind	Grey-green or Yellow; Net-like
Flesh	Coral-colored, extremely juicy, buttery texture
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Crunchy, Sweet

interesting fact
Melon has been the focus of attention in vertical farming methods, as it produces much more than we get in conventional farming.

11. Crenshaw Melon

Crenshaw melon is a hybrid melon variety obtained by crossing Persian and casaba melons. It is also called the Cadillac of all melons. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Casaba x Persian
Native to	Americas & Mediteranans
Shape	Oblong with a flat base
Rind	Yellowish-green to golden-yellow with wrinkles at the stem end; slightly waxy feel
Flesh	Peach-colored; aromatic
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Very sweet

12. Canary Melon

What are yellow melons called?

Yellow melons are called oval-shaped Canarian melons with a smooth rind that turns bright yellow when ripe.

Like other melons, canary melons are a low-fat, low-calorie fruit with high vitamin A and fiber content. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo L. (Inodorus Group) ‘Canary’
Native to	Asia, including Japan & Korea
Shape	Elongated
Rind	Bright yellow; Smooth
Flesh	Pale-green to white (soft texture similar to ripe pear)
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Very sweet

13. Hami or Honey Kiss Melon

This melon is originally from a city in China known as Hami. Like other melons, Hami melon is low in calories (just 34 calories per 100 g). (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo’ Hami melon’
Native to	China
Shape	Elongated
Rind	Greenish to yellow with furrows
Flesh	Orange
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Sweet with a hint of pineapple sometimes

14. Sprite Melon

It is one of the expensive melons that originated in Japan. Size and weight are relatively small, measuring only 4-5 inches in diameter and weighing on average one pound.

They are classified among small melons.

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo L. (Inodorus Group) ‘Sprite’
Native to	Japan
Shape	Round (size of a grapefruit)
Rind	White to light yellow; plain
Flesh	White
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Very sweet (like pear & honeydew)

Do you know?

Japan offers some of the most expensive melons in the world. In 2019, a pair of Yubari King melons sold for $45,000 in Hokkaido city.

15. Korean melon

It is the melon that is famous in East Asian countries, including Korea. Rich in potassium and low in sodium, it is good for cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo var. Makuwa
Native to	Korea
Shape	Oblong or oval-shaped
Rind	Yellow with widely distributed white lines
Flesh	White
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Sweet, crunchy (between honeydew & cucumber)

16. Sugar Kiss Melon

The candy kiss melon is so named because of its super sweetness that melts in the mouth. It can be added to smoothies, fruit salads or eaten raw. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo var. sugar
Native to	Africa
Shape	Round
Rind	Net-like silvery gray ribbed skin
Flesh	Orange
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	Sweet

17. Santa Claus

This melon is so named because of its long shelf life. The dimensions are exactly as that of the Crenshaw melon, but the color is green and the flesh is the same as the honeydew melon. (Types of Melons)

Scientific Name	Cucumis melo ‘Santa Claus’
Native to	Turkey
Shape	Like an elongated watermelon
Rind	Green colored
Flesh	Pale green
How’s it eaten?	As a fruit
Taste	A mixture of European cantaloupe & honeydew

Momordica

You have now thoroughly understood all the melons that we generally know and eat like fruit; It’s time we learned about melons used as vegetables.

In short, the Momordica genus has all the species that derive from the melon family Cucurbitaceae but are tubular, not sweet in taste, and are part of cuisines rather than being consumed raw.

So, let’s have an overview of these melon varieties. (Types of Melons)

18. Bitter Melon

This melon is the complete opposite of the melons discussed above. Let alone eating raw, it is the bitterest melon to go through the debittering process before being cooked.

Instead of being large round or oval shaped, it is small and elongated with a hard shell.

Scientific Name	Momordica charantia
Native to	Africa & Asia
Shape	Oblong, warty exterior
Rind	Light to dark green; tough
Flesh	Crunchy, watery
How’s it eaten?	Cooked as vegetable
Taste	Extremely bitter

19. Momordica balsamina

This is another melon similar to bitter gourd but less bitter. Its shape can be described as a small but oily bitter gourd. It has large red seeds that are poisonous to some.

It is also called the Common Balm Apple. When ripe, it disintegrates to show the seeds.

Young fruits and leaves of Momordica balsamina are cooked in some African countries.

Scientific Name	Momordica balsamina
Native to	South Africa, Tropical Asia, Arabia, India, Australia
Shape	Like a small but fat bitter gourd
Rind	Red to yellow, tough
Flesh	Dry with just seeds inside
How’s it eaten?	As vegetable
Taste	Bitter

5 Tips for Picking the Right Melon

Choosing the right melon is always a challenge. Sometimes a quick selection succeeds, and sometimes a diligent search will even yield an immature or over-ripe search.

But a few tips can help you choose the perfect one. Let’s find out what they are.

• Choose the heavier one: When choosing a melon to examine, choose the heavier one.
• Inspect: After choosing one, inspect it thoroughly for soft spots, cracks, or bruises, if any.
• Check the rind color: Now, this is a little tricky as the same color criteria don’t work for any type of melon.
• A matte finish is better for watermelon and sap. Avoid choosing bright ones as they are immature.
• For cantaloupe and cantaloupe, those with golden or orange rind are best. Do not choose the white or green colored one.
• Tap: After choosing the right melon, if it feels hollow, tap it with your palm, congratulations! This is what you’re looking for.
• Check the flower tip: The final test is to smell and lightly press the flower tip: the part where it is attached to a vine. If it’s soft and fragrant, you’re good to go with that.

Conclusion

Melon is great for snacks, fruit salad and the like. All melons are extremely sweet, differing slightly in sweetness, rind type and shape.

There are a few melons, such as bitter melon, which are the exact opposite of the ordinary melons we eat as fruit. But they all belong to the same family known as Cucurbitaceae.

Which of these melons are common in your area? And which one do you like the most? Let us know in the comment section below.

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