Types of Melons: A Comprehensive Guide!

The watermelon. A fruit that is often linked with hot summer days and cool fruit salads. Melons may be harvested between the months of May and September, depending on the kind and location where they are cultivated. Beginning in June or July, you may expect to see them prominently displayed in your local market. How fortunate for us that these delicious, juicy, and enormous fruits arrive just when we need them!

Not all sorts of melons are popular at the picnic table; in fact, several types of melons are generally neglected. We’ll guide you through all of the melon types, including some you’re probably already acquainted with and a couple you should definitely get to know!

What Are Melons?

Let’s start with the fundamentals of these massive fruits. Melon fruits are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes cucumbers, zucchini, winter squash, and gourds. Most melons are placed further into the genus Cucumis, but some are classified as Citrullus (watermelon!) and Momordica.

Regardless of which melon family each fruit belongs to, they all share a few features. A melon fruit often has a thick skin (which is frequently inedible) that efficiently shields the juicy, crispy meat from the outside world. The flesh of edible melon cultivars may range in taste from sugar-sweet to acidic, bitter to flowery, and even somewhat spicy! A cluster of giant melon seeds generally marks the middle of each fruit, and these seeds may be rather huge depending on the size of the fruit.

Melons are said to have originated in the hot temperatures of Asia and Africa, but as human civilization spread, so did the melon. Cultivated melons may now be found practically everywhere in the globe, with substantial harvests produced by China, Iran, Egypt, Spain, the United States of America, and Mexico, among many others.Melons have long been a mainstay of the human diet since they are not only delicious but also provide several health advantages.

The Many Types of Melons!

There are far too many distinct varieties of melons to mention in a single article—who knew there were so many? Let’s start with a couple of the most popular kinds, and then we’ll expose you to the plethora of different sorts of melons available.

Cantaloupe Melon

Cantaloupe is a simple melon to identify. It has a delicate beige rind with a webbed texture, and unlike many other melon cultivars, it is neither glossy or waxy. Its secondary name, rock melon, is perhaps derived from its gray skin. Once you get beyond the tough skin, the cantaloupe will reveal a vibrant orange flesh that is so sweet and juicy that it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular melons in the world.

The cantaloupe, along with numerous other melon cultivars, is classified as a muskmelon. While this species does have a little musky odor when mature, it is not present in all muskmelons. There are many distinct melons known as cantaloupes, and they seem extremely different from one another. The North American cantaloupe has gray netted skin, but the European cantaloupe is significantly lighter in color, has stripes, and is not always netted. Another cantaloupe variety is the sugar melon, which is very delicious!

Watermelon

Watermelon is perhaps the most well-known of all melon varieties. Most people’s initial thought when they think of watermelon is of a huge dark green striped fruit with brightly red and sweet smelling flesh. But did you know there are different kinds of watermelons?

Picnic Watermelons vs. Icebox Watermelons

Picnic watermelons are enormous, classic varieties that are often ovular or oblong in form, while icebox watermelons are considerably smaller and typically spherical.Do you need assistance breaking down one of these giant bananas into manageable pieces? Check out our How to Cut a Watermelon guide!

Seedless vs. Seeded Watermelon

The seedless watermelon is another kind of watermelon. These vary from conventional seeded varieties in that instead of thick, massive, dark brown-black seeds, they have thinner, softer, white colored seeds. There’s no need for seed spitting here!

Yellow Watermelon vs. Red Watermelon

In a surprising turn of events, slicing open a watermelon may reveal yellow or golden fruit rather than the red you anticipate! Golden or golden watermelons are smaller than red melons, have a rounder form, and may be seeded or seedless.

Honeydew Melon

Honeydew melons are one of many varieties of melons that you may get at your local grocery shop or market. The surface of these melons has a smooth, light green skin and the interior has a similarly colored, spring green flesh.

There are many sorts of honeydew melons that you may come across. There’s the bailan melon (also known as the Lanzhou honeydew melon) and the golden honeydew melon, which appears just like a conventional honeydew but has brilliant and sunny yellow skin and flesh instead of gentle green!

Winter Melon

Winter melons, sometimes known as wax gourds, are big and oblong in shape. You may mistake one for a large, smooth-skinned cucumber at first sight! This melon’s thick skin has a powdery layer all over it, giving it the moniker “ash gourd.”

The lovely inside of this fruit is exposed when it has been dusted and cut. Winter melons have a bright white flesh that is crisp and tangy at the same time. The flavor is very vegetal, similar to a more delicious cucumber. The only problem with this melon is that it cannot be eaten uncooked! As a result, it is often incorporated into various meals and is very popular in many Asian cuisines.

Bitter Melon

This melon, often known as bitter gourd, resembles an unevenly shaped, bumpy cucumber. Although not particularly cute, this is a necessary meal. This melon has a highly bitter flavor, as one could expect from its name, which leaves nothing to the imagination. It is better soaked before eating to eliminate some of the astringency, and it is usually eaten cooked rather than raw.

Aside from being utilized as a stable food source in many civilizations, bitter melon is also regarded to have numerous therapeutic advantages, and you may have even seen certain varieties of bitter melon extract in pharmacies and health food shops! The bitter melon’s unique components are said to be very beneficial for alleviating digestive discomfort, controlling blood sugars, and avoiding cancer, among other things.

Honey Globe Melon

The skin of honey globe melons is silky smooth and white or soft green in hue. The thick rind hides a light green meat that is thick and creamy in texture. The look of these melons is extremely similar to that of honeydew melons, and you may have difficulty telling the two apart! However, you will notice a difference since the honey globe melon is known for its high sugar content.

Christmas Melon

When you first see a Christmas melon, you may wonder to yourself, “Why would I eat that?” There are several additional names for it.To mention a few, there is Santa Claus melon, camouflage melon, and frog skin melon. In Spain (its nation of origin! ), it is also known as piel del sapo, which translates to toad skin. This melon gets its festive names because, unlike most other melons, it ripens just in time for the winter holidays. And, once you get a look at these creatures, all of these amphibious nicknames make perfect sense.

Christmas melons may range in hue from dark green to brown and feature mottled, almost crack-like longitudinal lines that give them the look of a weathered frog or toad! Fortunately, unlike the exterior rind, the internal flesh of the frog skin melon is both appealing and delectable, with a sweet flavor and creamy texture.

Banana Melon

Banana melons are named after the iconic yellow fruit! The banana melon not only has smooth skin and yellow flesh, but it also has an elongated form with tapering ends, giving it a banana-like look. These melons may grow to reach 5 to 7 pounds in weight (that’s a large banana!) and have a light orange flesh when sliced or peeled. Their taste is sweet and juicy, with a faint banana undertone.

Sky Rocket Melon

The sky rocket melon is an eye-catching fruit! The outside skin is webbed, similar to that of a cantaloupe, but the meat within is very different. Sky rocket melon is yellow-green in hue, with an almost fluorescent brightness, as opposed to the coral pinkish-orange of cantaloupe. Because the fruit is chewy rather than crisp and juicy like other melons, many people choose to juice it instead of eating it fresh.

Canary Melon

With a name like canary, it’s no surprise that these melons are yellow. What is surprising is how brilliant this golden coloration is! Canary melons are quite little in the realm of melons, barely reaching approximately 5 inches wide. They have a distinctive football shape and a smooth rind that may seem waxy to the touch. The crisp white meat underneath the brilliant yellow peel has a very sweet but somewhat acidic taste. Canary melons are extensively cultivated in Japan, South Korea, and the United States because to their warm, dry climates.

Crane Melon

Another melon with an avian name reaches our list, but this melon was named for its creator rather than the aquatic bird species! The crane melon is an heirloom melon type developed by Oliver Crane in Sonoma County, California, a well-known agricultural region. He crossed numerous types of melons, including the Japanese melon, Persian melon, and white melon, among others, to develop this fruit. The end result? A melon with rounded or teardrop form with dark green blotchy skin and brilliant orange meat.

Where to get a crane melon

The unusual history of this fruit makes it an appealing target for many people who wish to eat a crane melon for themselves! This unique melon, however, is difficult to get since it is vine-ripened and hence not generally accessible in big grocery shops or marketplaces. These melons are a well-known local delicacy and prefer to remain in the region where they originated.

Korean Melon

The Korean melon, also known as the Oriental melon, has a bright yellow skin with lighter yellow stripes that run from pole to pole across the whole fruit. The pale flesh tastes similar to a very sweet cucumber, but with a more fruity flavor, similar to a pear. Korean melons differ from many other melons in that they are picked while they are fairly little, usually a pound or less. While it is unknown if these melons originated in Korea, they are one of the most popular melon kinds across Asia, with the majority of them now farmed in South Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province.

Horned Melon

Horned melons, sometimes known as kiwano melons, are difficult to overlook. These brilliant yellow to golden-orange fruits are coated with spines that may be extremely harsh at times. When you cut into one of these strange-looking fruits, you’ll understand why they’re also known as jelly melons! The core of the fruit is made up of a brilliant green, gelatinous flesh that suspends the melon’s myriad of seeds. Some people equate the texture of jelly melon to that of passion fruit, while the flavor is more akin to banana or kiwi.

How Do You Eat a Horned Melon?

How should you eat a horned melon? Simply cut the fruit in half and scoop out the delicious flesh one nibble at a time with a spoon. When eaten, its jelly-like flesh takes on the viscosity of a thick liquid, punctuated by hundreds of melon seeds that are generally too stiff to swallow! As a result, instead of spitting up the seeds, you might consume the fruit that surrounds them. However, traditionally, the seeds are just consumed whole!

Chinese Hami Melon

This fruit, also known as the hami melon or snow melon, has a very irregular-looking netted rind, unlike the homogeneous smoothness of a cantaloupe’s skin. The hami melon is normally oblong in form, similar to a spaghetti squash, however there are many other types of hami melons. As a result, these melons come in a variety of sizes and hues! Depending on the cultivar, hami melon might taste similar to cantaloupe or have a more flowery flavor and crunchier texture.

Casaba Melon

Casaba melons originated in the Mediterranean but are now cultivated all over the globe in hot, dry climates. They are related to and quite similar to honeydew melons, however they are not nearly as sweet. Casaba melon is more cool and green, like a cucumber, than the classic sweet-as-honey honeydew flavor. The wrinkled external skin of a casaba melon starts off green and progressively turns more and more vibrantly yellow as it ripens.

Galia Melon

The galia melon is significant because it is a hybrid melon, or a cross between two of the most well-known melons: the honeydew melon and the cantaloupe melon! Simply described, these melons have the external look of a cantaloupe, but when cut open, you’ll discover the creamy green flesh of a honeydew. Galia melons are cultivated extensively in Central and South America, as well as the Middle East and Europe.

Sugar Kiss Melon

Sugar kiss melons are perfect for those with a sweet craving! The sugar kiss melon resembles a crenshaw melon or a cantaloupe, but it has been engineered to be as sweet as possible. The flesh is brilliant orange and has an amazing creamy texture. Some people compare it to having a melt-in-your-mouth texture (like cotton candy! ), while still providing lots of liquid.

Autumn Sweet Melon

Autumn sweet melons have a golden-yellow outer skin that is speckled and a brilliant orange inside meat that is similar to cantaloupe. However, their taste is unique, offering a highly sweet flavor through crisp, pale skin. These melons get their name from the fact that they mature considerably later than many other melon kinds, usually in late summer or early autumn.

Jade Dew Melon

The jade dew melon, maybe the most poetically named melon on our list, shares the pale skin of other dew melons and can be varied tints of light or deeper green. In contrast to the tight and homogeneous netting of a cantaloupe skin, this skin is sparsely webbed. The flesh is creamy yellow or golden-green on the inside and is crisp and tasty. These melons may weigh up to 2 pounds, and the jade dew melon plant is coveted for its resistance to various illnesses and other problems that endanger other melon kinds.

Sprite Melon

Sprite melons are tiny little creatures, only growing to be around the size of a grapefruit! These melons have a cream-colored outer rind and a cream-colored inside flesh. Those who have had the pleasure of tasting a sprite melon report that it contains notes of both watermelon and pear. Because they are so little, there is no rough zone between the meat and the rind as there is with watermelon. These melons are exceptionally juicy, and one is the ideal snack!

Golden Prize Melon

The golden prize melon, with a brilliant yellow rind comparable to that of the canary melon, is one reward you wish to win! These melons have an oval form, with each end tapering to a point and the middle remaining plump and spherical. The golden prize melon contains orange flesh that is fairly tasty, and its exceptionally thick rind means it will keep for much longer than other, thinner-skinned melon kinds.

Valencia Melon

Step aside, oranges: there’s a new Valencia in town, and it’s shaped like a melon! Valencia melon is a winter melon with a dark green exterior and light green to white inside flesh. The Valencia melon, like other winter melons and winter squash, is picked in late autumn and may be readily kept at lower room temperature for several months before rotting.

Gac Melon

The gac melon is yet another unusual melon! The gac melon is not just vivid orange in color, like a jack-o-lantern, but it also has a covering of stubby spines. It’s no surprise that this fruit is also known as the prickly gourd! As if the exterior wasn’t loud enough, when the gac melon is opened, the inside flesh reveals an even more pungent colora rich scarlet, similar to that of a blood orange.

Surprisingly, despite its vibrant color, the taste of gac melon is lackluster. The flavor is similar to that of a cucumber with spongy flesh. This melon’s vibrant orange and red hues also highlight its high amount of pigment components including lycopene and beta carotene. Put down the vegetables and go for a gac melon instead!

Charentais Melon

The charentais melon is a variety of French melon that is also known as French cantaloupe. These melons, unlike the normal cantaloupe, remain very tiny in size, only growing to reach around the size of a grapefruit and weighing approximately 2 pounds. The rind of charentais melons is particularly distinctive, with a mottled gray-green skin that nearly seems to have been splattered with watercolor paints. Inside, you’ll discover rich and delicious orange flesh, which is much sought after in the melon’s native areas.

Yubari King Melon

The yubari king melon is noted for one thing: its high price. It is often regarded as the most costly fruit in the world, and it has a profoundly sweet flavor and texture to match. Unfortunately, most people will never get the opportunity to enjoy this pleasure. The enormous price tag on these melons is due not only to the fact that they take a whole hundred days to mature, but also to the fact that they may only be cultivated in a very restricted and specialized area of Japan. This is analogous to how authentic Champagne can only be made in the Champagne area of France.

Ananas Melon

The ananas melon is not to be confused with bananas; it is a separate entity! In fact, the phrase translates to pineapple in various languages, suggesting at what to anticipate when biting into this fruit. While it does not taste exactly like a pineapple, it is highly sweet but acidic and delivers tropical characteristics in both flavor and scent! Ananas melons are also known as sharlyn melons, Israeli melons, and Middle Eastern melons.

So Many Types of Melons, So Little Time!

Who knew the world of melons could be so diverse? We hope that the information in this guide to the different sorts of melons has motivated you to pick up a distinctive looking melon at the grocery store or specialty market the next time you see it. Look at the texture, color, fragrance, and general look of the melon to get a sense of what it could taste like. You could predict accurately, like with the banana melon, or you might be entirely startled by what’s inside when we glance at you gac melon.

Need some ideas for what to do with the melon varieties that are more frequent or easily accessible to you? How about a new dish? Try our Healthy Watermelon Sorbet or another of our delectable watermelon dishes!