melon

Also known as: apple cucumber; common cantaloupe; cucumber vine; musk melon; sweet-scented melon

A wild species of melon from which all other cultivars have been bred. It's a deciduous annual, spreading, twining plant to 1.5 m long, with large, soflty-haired leaves and unbranching tendrils. It produces yellow separate male and female flowers on the same plant, followed by round fruit varying in size. The skin and colour/taste varies depending on variety. The skin can be smooth (honeydew melon), ribbed (Cantaloupe) or netted (muskmelon)

Scientific classification

Species: melon (Cucumis melo)
Genus: Cucumis
Family: Cucurbitaceae

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Toxicity: Annual Biennial · Fruit Edible
Plant type: 0.1-0.5 metres
Height: 1-1.5 metres
Spread: Deciduous
Foliage: Trailing · Climbing
Habit: Spring · Summer · Autumn
Season of interest: Full sun
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

melon pictures

Distribution of melon

Distribution map

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Culture

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Toxicity

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Quick identification of melon

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melon care guide

Moderate regular watering, allowing brief slight drying between soakings
Watering: Full sun
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

Watering

Moderate regular watering, allowing brief slight drying between soakings

Fertilizing

Balanced perennial feed every four weeks from spring through summer

Pruning

Pinch out growing tip to encourage side-shoots. Where these appear, choose the strongest few and remove others. Prune to two leaves where the fruit is developing to direct plant's energy to the fruit, rather than vegetative growth.

Propagation

Propagate by seed. Germinate seeds in heated propagator or warm windowsill in spring.

Growing

Grow in acidic to neutral, moisture retentive, well-drained soil in warm and humid conditions, ideally in greenhouse, large coldframe or polytunnel. Follow melon cultivation for more advice.

More growing and care information →