It is not only possible to differentiate between different melons such as watermelons and honeydew melons. The seemingly always the same watermelons also come in many different types.
What types of watermelon are there?
The two most commonly grown watermelon varieties are the smaller Sugar Baby, weighing 3-5 kg, with dark green rind and dark red, sweet flesh, and the larger Crimson Sweet, weighing 8-15 kg, with a striped rind and also has sweet, red pulp.
The origin of watermelons
In its wild form, the watermelon actually comes from Africa and is botanically referred to as Citrullus lanatus. The plant is now widely planted in warm regions around the world and is now found in over 150 subspecies. The wild form of watermelon is usually called Tsamma melon and is still grown in parts of Central Africa today. The most important growing areas for the agricultural cultivation of watermelons today are:
- China
- Türkiye
- Iran
- Egypt
- USA
- Mexico
Due to the high transport weight and the relatively low selling price, the specimens sold in Central Europe between May and September usually come from countries such as Spain, Hungary and Turkey.
The Sugar Baby variety
Of the few watermelon varieties grown worldwide, there are usually only two commercially available. One of these is the smaller Sugar Baby, whose fruits usually have a maximum weight of around three to five kilograms. They are almost round in color and surrounded by a dark green colored shell. When fully ripe, the flesh of the Sugar Baby is dark red and has an aromatic, sweet taste. The Sugar Baby is very popular with consumers, not least because of its smaller size, as these melons can be consumed relatively quickly when eaten fresh, eliminating the problem of storage.
Crimson Sweet watermelon variety
The second important watermelon variety on the world market is the so-called Crimson Sweet. True to its name, this one also has a pleasantly sweet aroma, but produces significantly larger fruits than the Sugar Baby. Fruits of the Crimson Sweet variety often weigh between 8 and 15 kilograms and have the rounded shape of a roller. The flesh is colored red to wine red, while the peel has a pattern of dark green and light green stripes.
Tips & Tricks
Of the common types of watermelon, the Sugar Baby is the more common variety in this country, as its rather small fruits can reach maturity more easily before autumn.
