Am I the only one who eats all of the cantaloupe first from those little white ceramic diner fruit cups? Don’t get me wrong; I’m a big fan of all fruits – strawberries, bananas, grapes, you name it. But there’s just something irresistible about a melon that makes me snag a whole plate full of them off a fruit platter.
Melons are the ultimate chill fruit; their sweet, juicy goodness just hits the spot. They’re the perfect fruit for a BBQ, hanging out at the beach, or relaxing at home.
We all know about the popular ones like cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew, but there are so many more types of melons out there!
Find out about the diversity of the melon family — both the common and the rare — so you can get a taste next time while they are in season.
What Is A Melon?
These tasty fruits, originally from Asia (although it was first thought to originate from Africa), grow on a vine that’s part of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). Picture a plant with soft, hairy stems, big round leaves, and small yellow flowers. That’s a melon plant!
In the world of plants, melons are actually a type of berry called a pepo. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Chances are, you’ve enjoyed a fresh, sweet melon before. But did you know some types can also be turned into preserves or even pickles? There’s more to melons than meets the eye.
There are four main categories of melons:
- Citrullus is known for its deeply lobed leaves and round fruit, with the watermelon being the most famous example.
- Cucumis is a diverse genus that includes melons and cucumbers, offering a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors.
- Benincasa is a smaller genus with only one main species, the wax gourd, characterized by its large, oval fruit with a hard, waxy rind.
- Momordica is a genus that includes bitter melon, known for its warty skin and strong, bitter taste.
Are Melons Healthy?
You probably have a favorite melon, but did you know all melons have sweet health benefits?
Every melon is packed with hydration and antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene. With types like cantaloupe and watermelon being 90% water, they’re the ultimate refreshing snack for hot summer days.
Most people can enjoy melons safely, but a few groups might need to be cautious. These include:
- Those with melon allergies
- Some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Those with blood sugar concerns
How Many Varieties Of Melons Are There?
There are about 40 different types of melons out there. But if you’re after a sweet flavor for your juices or salads, only around half of them make the cut.
Watermelon
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is often considered a type of melon, though it’s not in the same genus as others. It has a smooth rind and sweet, juicy flesh that’s usually deep red or pink with black seeds, though you can find seedless varieties, too.
Ever tried sprinkling a little salt on watermelon after a tough workout? It’s a great way to replenish electrolytes and carbs, restoring energy and quenching thirst. Plus, watermelon is packed with vitamin A for eye health and vitamin C to boost your immune system.
You can enjoy watermelon raw, pickled, or cooked (even the dark green rind!). It’s also delicious in juice or mixed drinks.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe, a favorite summer fruit, is a type of muskmelon that really stands out with its orange flesh. When ripe, these melons grow on low vines and have a webbed skin that changes from green to a golden beige. Cantaloupes can weigh up to 11 pounds.
When picking a cantaloupe, go for a heavy, firm fruit with a golden beige color underneath the webbed skin. A ripe cantaloupe has a sweet smell when you sniff it up close.
This juicy fruit is perfect fresh as a snack, for breakfast, as a side dish, or even for dessert.
Honeydew
If you’re after the sweetest melon, honeydew melon might be a good choice. This melon, which is part of the gourd family along with squash and cucumbers, is known for its smooth, creamy yellow rind and pale green flesh. The sweetness of honeydew makes it a favorite, and it’s no surprise that people, on average, eat about three pounds of it each year — almost twice as much as cantaloupe or watermelon.
Honeydew’s juicy, sweet flesh is a delicious and healthy treat. It’s low in fat and cholesterol and loaded with vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, A, calcium, and potassium. Their mild flavor makes honeydew great for fruit salads and salad bars.
Galia
If you love honeydew and cantaloupe, give Galia melon a try! This unique hybrid, created from cantaloupe and honeydew in Israel, has a yellow to orange skin with light golden-tan netting. Its pale green flesh is juicy and tender, offering a spicy-sweet flavor with tropical and fragrant notes. Galia melons are small and have a round, smooth shape.
You can eat them alone or add a bit of ginger, salt, or lemon/lime juice for extra flavor. They also sweeten up fruit salads and drinks like fruit punches, margaritas, or daiquiris.
Ambrosia
Ambrosia melon is a unique hybrid that might look like a cantaloupe but stands out on its own. They have a round, slightly oval shape with a thin, firm yellow rind covered in rough, tan netting.
Inside, the flesh is juicy, tender, and extra-sweet, with a pale orange color and a hint of green near the surface. These melons are medium-sized and weigh around three to five pounds.
Ambrosia melons are great fresh, cut into pieces, or added to fruit bowls and salads. They’re also delicious with creamy dips or cheeses.
Casaba
Casaba melons have bright yellow skin with a hint of green and a slightly pointed end. Inside, their white flesh is juicy and mildly sweet. These melons can be round, oval, or even acorn-shaped, usually weighing from three to eight pounds.
You can toss it in salads, mix it into salsa, wrap it in cured meats, or eat it fresh with a sprinkle of lime juice, ginger, or chili powder. It’s also great in smoothies, juices, and chilled soups like gazpacho.
Crenshaw
Crenshaw melons are similar to their parent, the casaba. They have a rough, firm rind that goes from yellow-green to golden yellow with wrinkles near the stem. When ripe, the rind feels a bit waxy. These melons are pretty big, weighing up to 10 pounds, and thrive in warm places like the Mediterranean and the Americas.
If you get your hands on a Crenshaw melon, you’re in for a treat! It’s packed with vitamins A and C, making it perfect for salads, desserts, or even soups.
Hami
Hami melons are a unique variety from the Xinjiang region of China. They’re large and oblong, with yellow skin streaked with green and juicy orange flesh inside. Hami melons are about 20 to 30 centimeters long and 12 to 16 centimeters wide, with a shape that tapers at both ends.
They taste like sweet cantaloupes but have a firmer, crunchier texture. In China, hami melons are used in mooncakes and other pastries or dried into chewy strips.
Hami melons are delicious and nutritious, containing vitamin C for your immune system and vitamin A for your eyes and skin.
Canary
Canary melons are loved for their juicy, sweet flesh and long shelf-life, making them a top choice among winter melons. Their hard rind keeps them fresh for a long time, so they’re often shipped worldwide.
These oval-shaped melons have smooth, bright yellow skin when ripe, with a slightly waxy feel and pale ivory flesh inside. The texture is succulent and firm, a bit like a ripe pear.
Canary melons taste sweet with a hint of tanginess, slightly more zesty than honeydew. Enjoy them raw or cooked. You’ll be surprised by its excellent fiber content.
Santa Claus Melon
The Santa Claus melon, also known as the Christmas melon or Piel de Sapo, is a fun twist on your usual melons. It’s about a foot long, with a shape that’s a bit like a small watermelon but with yellow and green stripes and a bumpy texture like honeydew. Inside, the flesh is a yellow-green or peachy color.
This melon has a mild, sweet flavor similar to honeydew and comes with some great benefits — it’s low in calories, high in vitamins C and A, packed with potassium, and a good source of fiber. Enjoy it fresh by scooping the flesh out with a spoon, or use a melon baller for your fruit salads.
Snow Leopard
If Melons had a beauty pageant, the Snow Leopard would definitely win. These melons are stunning with their golden skin and white stripes. Inside, they have thick, crisp, and super sweet white flesh.
Snow Leopard melons taste amazing with their sweet, honey-like flavor and just a hint of tartness. They’re perfect for a refreshing summer melon salad!
Mexican Sour Gherkin
If snow leopard melons are the prettiest, then Mexican sour gherkins, or cucamelons, are the cutest. These tiny, grape-sized fruits, also called mouse melons or sandita, look like mini watermelons but taste like cucumbers with a tangy twist.
Native to Mexico and Central America, they have white, crisp flesh that’s crunchy and refreshing. They start small and grow from flowers, and the young fruits are perfect for eating raw.
Armenian Cucumber
The Armenian cucumber is one of the oldest varieties and is technically a melon. Known for its creamy, pale-green skin and long, ridged shape, it’s often called “yard-long cucumbers.”
These cucumbers stay sweet and never turn bitter, even when they grow big. Their crisp and juicy texture makes them perfect for salads, sandwiches, dips, and even pickles. No need to peel them — just enjoy their fresh flavor and crunch!
How to Tell If Melon is Ripe and Ready
There’s nothing like ripe melons at their peak! But picking the perfect one can be a bit tricky. Melons ripen on the vine and won’t get any sweeter once picked, though their texture and flavor can still improve.
To find a ripe watermelon, give it a thump with your knuckles — it should make a dull, thunking sound. When ripe, the juiciest melons will feel hefty for their size and have a sweet, musky aroma.
- Netted varieties like muskmelons, Galia, and Charentais will naturally slip off the vine when ready, with a slight crack around the stem end and a yellowish tint under the netting.
- For smooth-skinned melons like honeydew, look for a color change and a waxy feel when they’re ripe.
How to Prep and Serve Melons
Melons can sometimes carry harmful bacteria like Salmonella, so washing them well before eating is super important. Since they grow in the dirt, they can pick up unwanted germs on their outer skin.
To prep this fruit, wash it under running water and scrub the outside to remove any dirt. Once cut, remove the fruit from the rind and store it in a container in the refrigerator for a few days. For larger melons like watermelon, wrap the cut pieces tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Melons are great on their own, but you can also get creative! Add melon chunks to smoothies, grill slices for a sweet side dish, make fun melon kabobs with cheese and grapes, or puree melon for homemade popsicles. You can even make use of melons to make a refreshing drink.
This article originally appeared on Pink When.
Author: Hannah Healy
Hannah Healy is the owner and founder of Healy Eats Real, a website that has provided recipes and lifestyle content for over ten years. She is the published author of The Ultimate Paleo Cookbook and an avid writer in the food, health, and travel spheres. Hannah’s work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Redbook, Fitness, and MSN.