Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

An annual climber with deeply divided leaves and tendrils along the vine. It trails over the ground and has hairy, angular stems. The leaves are on long leaf stalks. The leaves are deeply divided along their length. These lobe are rounded and can themselves be divided. The leaves are 5-20 cm long by 2-12 cm across. The tendrils are divided. The plant has separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The flowers are pale yellow and smaller than pumpkins. The flowers occur in the axils of leaves. The male flowers appear first. Fruit are large and round or oval. They can be 60 cm long. Fruit have a hard smooth skin. Several fruit colours and shapes occur. Often they have a dark green mottle. The fruit has reddish juicy flesh and black or red seeds. The seeds are oval shaped and smooth. The seed size and shape vary considerably.

There are 3 Citrullus species. The fruit are mostly water with little food value or taste. Some kinds are being selected for seeds for oil. The seed oil is nutritious.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They grow best on the coast in the tropics but will grow up to about 1,700 m altitude. They will not stand water-logging and do well on sandy soils. Plants are frost sensitive. Seed will not germinate below 21°C. Temperatures between 24-30°C are suitable. It can grow in arid places. Fruit are sweeter in arid warm areas. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Angola, Argentina, Aruba, Asia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Bougainville, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabinda, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Central Asia, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial-Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, FSM, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marquesas, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Russia, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten raw when ripe. Small unripe fruit can be cooked as a vegetable. Seeds are also eaten. They are dried, soaked in salt water then roasted. Oil is extracted from the seeds. The seeds are ground and made into bread. Occasionally very young leaves are eaten. The skin is sometimes candied in vinegar then eaten with fish. The syrup from the fruit can be used in jams and cakes.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. The seeds are a popular food in China. Common and popular in lowland areas of Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. They are suitable mainly for the dry season. A spacing of 1.5 to 2 m is suitable. They grow easily from seed. They do best when fully exposed to the sun. Seed can be dried and stored. If too much vegetative growth occurs picking out the tip to produce side branches with more fruit.

Plants grow quickly. Harvesting commences after 4-5 months. The main fruit season is November to January. The ripeness can be picked by tapping the fruit to get a dull sound, the part of the fruit on the ground changes from green to light yellow and the tendril near the base of the fruit becomes dry. Fruit yield can be 45-60 tons per hectare. There can be 4-6 fruit on each plant.

Its other names

Local names

Agushi, Anowotere, Atsetsea, Bara, Battikh, Beteka, Bittekh, Blass, Bostan, Bvani, Chimwamaji, Chimwela, Cimango, Dagita, Deri, Dole dodosine, Dua hau, Egusi, Goussi-gaga, Guna, Habu, Ibece, Ibotolo, Ihele, Intshabotyi, Itikitiki, Kalambojo, Kamandiki, Kankana, Karaa, Kemikaii, Kgengwe, Khakha, Komadu, Labu ayer, Lehapu, Lerotse, Litichiti, Majoda, Makakabane, Makatendry, Mak po, Matao, Mbika ntetu, Melancia, Meleni, Melon de agua, Mendikai, Mereni, Mubvembe, muShamba, Munwiwa, Mutshatsha, muVise, Narracuene, Nendikai, Ogili, Oru, 'Owllok, Pakwan, Patilla, Peni-komadu, Pitcha, Raiapisa, Rayapisa, Samangka, Sandia, Sandiya, Sania, Semongka, Sihka, Tarabuja, Tarbuj, Tarbuz, Tarmuj, Te meren, Tembikai, Temikai, Thaisim hagong, Thoomo, Tinacanti, Tjoto, Voasavy, Vwende, Watesan, Watre, Wedamelon, Werewere

Synonyms

Citrullus edulis Spach.; Citrullus mucospermus (Fursa) Fursa; Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.; Colocynthis citrullus (L.) O. Ktze.; Cucumis citrullus (L.) Ser.; Cucurbita citrullus L.; Momordica lanata Thunb.;