National Watermelon Day recognizes the refreshing summertime treat enjoyed at picnics and fairs! Watermelon is 92% water, which is why it is so satisfying in the summer heat.
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a particular kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Pepos are derived from an inferior ovary and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon – although not in the genus Cucumis – has a smooth exterior rind (usually green with dark green stripes or yellow spots) and a juicy, sweet interior flesh (usually deep red to pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, or white).
The fruit was likely first cultivated for its ability to hold plentiful water in a desert landscape, especially since the wild melon was bitter or tasteless. Seeds and art found in tombs of Pharaohs furnish substantial evidence of the watermelon’s value. Cultivation and breeding brought out the better qualities of sweet and tender fruit we enjoy today.
- By weight, watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
- Watermelon is 92% water.
- The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
- Watermelon’s official name is Citrullus Lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitaceae. It is cousins to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
- We think of watermelon as a fruit because of its sweet flavor, but watermelon is actually a vegetable.
- Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
- According to Guinness World Records, the world’s heaviest watermelon was grown by Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee in 2013, weighing in at 350.5 lbs.
- The United States currently ranks 5th in worldwide production of watermelon. Forty-four states grow watermelons with Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona consistently leading the country in production.
- Watermelon is the official vegetable of Oklahoma.
- The Japanese grow square watermelon. How? They place square glass boxes around a growing fruit so it becomes square as it grows. The Japanese like them because they’re small and don’t roll around. They fit neatly in a refrigerator. The downside? These watermelon cost about $82!
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