|
There are so many more textures and flavors than
the average American grocery store offers.
Additionally, what is typically sold as "cantaloupe" are usually muskmelons so
there is confusion caused by marketing.
 There are eight distinct groups (some refer to
them as subspecies) of Cucumis melo (melons). Although they are
useful in sorting melons for descriptive purposes, all groups will cross with
each other.
Click Here for melon
growing information.
|
|
|
 Amarillo
Oro
(Inodorus Group)
100 days
This is a very old variety, pre-dating 1870. It originated
in Spain and is still grown there on the Mediterranean coast.
The plants
are prolific producing fruit that
have
golden yellow rinds with sweet, creamy green to slightly salmon
colored flesh. They can reach up to fifteen pounds.
|
|
|
Ananas
(Reticulatus Group)
110 days
Another old variety that dates back to at least the 1800s.
It is also known as 'Pineapple', 'Sharlyn', and 'Israeli'.
The vines are large and produce fruit that are oblong and average
about five pounds. The flesh is soft, sweet and juicy and
creamy white to slightly salmon colored at maturity.
|
|
|
Banana
Melon
(Reticulatus Group)
90 days
It is a very old variety pre-dating 1880. Its fruit are an
interesting, elongated shaped, pinched at the ends, with a yellow
skin that is mostly smooth with very little netting. It
resembles a giant (18 to 24 inch long) banana, hence its name.
Fruits weigh about five pounds.
When looking through old seed catalogs prior to about 1900, nearly
everyone listed the Banana melon. The 1885
James, J. H. Gregory seed annual stated, "None of
the 170 varieties of vegetables exhibited by me at the Essex
Agricultural Society in the fall of 1883 created a greater
interest than the Banana melon." About 30 seeds per
gram. |
|
 Burrell's
Jumbo Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
82 days
Selected from
'Hale's Best' by D. V.
Burrell. Large fruits are well suited for both home and
market gardeners. The netted melons weigh up to five pounds and
have thick, sweet salmon-colored flesh. About 35 seeds per
gram. |
|
|
Charentais Cantaloupe
(Cantalupensis
Group)
85 days
Originating from the region of France of the same name, this
variety of true cantaloupe is revered. It is also known by
the name 'French Gourmet'.
The fruits
are about five inches in diameter weighing about two pounds with
rinds that are smooth, thin skinned, and light green maturing to a
creamy color. The flesh is salmon colored, very fragrant and
tasty.
|
|
Crenshaw
(Inodorus Group)
115 days
The vines are vigorous and productive. The fruits are
pear-shaped, six to eight pounds, with skin that is green to
yellow in color and salmon-pink flesh. Grows best in warmer
climates. About 28 seeds per gram. |
|
Eden
Gem (Rocky Ford, Green Fleshed) Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
90 days
Introduced in 1881. The fruits are
two to
three pounds, heavily netted, slightly ribbed and prolific. The
flesh is green. Very sweet and tasty. About 33 seeds
per gram. |
 |
|
Edisto
Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
90 days
Oval fruits that are finely netted, with light
ribs and weigh about four pounds. They have orange flesh
with a small seed cavity. Does well in hot, humid
conditions.
Released in 1957 by
the Clemson Agricultural Experimental Station. About 34
seeds per gram. |
|
 Hale's Best Jumbo Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
85 days
Large, early. Thick, salmon-orange flesh.
Oval shaped fruit, heavy netting. 3ฝ to five pounds each.
Introduced about 1924.1
About 35 seeds per gram. |
|
 Hearts
of Gold (Hoodoo)
(Reticulatus Group)
90 days
The
fruits are nearly round and weigh two to three pounds with
deep-orange, sweet, fragrant flesh. The rinds are heavily
netted, medium ribbed, on vines that are vigorous and productive.
'Hearts of Gold' is a very old commercial variety. It was
released in about 1895 by Roland Morrill of Benton Harbor,
Michigan.5
It remained one of the most popular commercial melons throughout
the Midwest into the 1930s. Mr. Morrill also release 'Osage'.
About 37 seeds per gram. |
|
 Honey
Rock Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
80 days
The fruits are up to six inches in diameter
with a tough, coarsely netted skin and sweet, flavorful salmon
colored flesh. The plants are vigorous, produce five to
seven
fruits per plant and are fusarium wilt resistant.'Honey Rock' is said to have
been a result of a cross between 'Champlain', 'Irondequoit' and
'Honey Dew' and was introduced by Watt Richardson of Ohio in
about 1920.1
An "All-American Selectionฎ"
winner in 1933. About 36 seeds per gram. |
|
|
Antibes Winter Melon
from "The Vegetable Garden",
M. M. Vilmorin-Andrieux, 1885 |
Honeydew,
Green Flesh
(Inodorus Group)
115 days
Although known as 'Honeydew' melons here in the United States,
they are called 'White Antibes Winter' melons in Europe3
and 'Bailan' or 'Wallace' melons in China.4
Prior to their import into the United States in about 1911, they
had been grown in France and Algieria for decades.
 The
fruits have a smooth, creamy white skin with lime-green flesh that
is incredibly
sweet with a small seed cavity. They are typically seven to
nine inches long and five to six inches in diameter weighing three
to six pounds. They store and ship well. About 35
seeds per gram. |
|
Honeydew,
Orange Flesh
(Inodorus Group)
110 days
Very similar to the green-fleshed variety (see above) except that
the flesh is a nice light orange color.
There
is conflicting information about the history of this variety.
Some point out that "red-fleshed" (orange being a shade of red in
the old texts) varieties existed in Europe prior to its arrival in
the U.S.3
Others site a 1929 introduction by the Aggeler & Musser Seed
Company stating that it was a cross of the green-fleshed honeydew
with Livingston's 'Tip Top' melon.
About 35 seeds per gram. |
|
|
Iroquois
(Reticulatus Group)
85 days
Bred
by
Dr. Henry M. Munger of Cornell University and released
in 1944. It was developed
from a stabilized cross of 'Minnesota 99-36' x 'Bender's
Surprise'. The fruits are round to slightly oval, thick,
with deep orange flesh and weigh from five to seven pounds.
Not only is
this variety resistant to fusarium wilt, it has the historical
claim to be the first. Iroquois does especially well in the
Midwestern and Northeastern United States as well as Eastern
Canada.
|
|
 Minnesota
Midget
(Reticulatus
Group)
70 days
- Very early maturing. The plants are compact and some folks
report that this variety does well growing in tubs. The fruits are small, five to
six
inches in diameter, weighing thirteen ounces to one and a half
pounds, delicious flavor. Fruit slips from vine when ripe.
Bred by the University of Minnesota
and introduced by Farmer Seed in about 1948.
About 40 seeds per gram. |
|
|
|
 Osage
Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
90 days
Oval or egg shaped, with slight to moderate ribbing and slight netting. The outside rind is dark green when immature, ripening to a mottled orange green. Has a small seed cavity. Flesh is thick and salmon colored with a sweet spicy flavor. Weighs between
three to
five pounds.The origin of 'Osage' was a
selection of a natural cross between 'Orange Christiana' and a
"small black melon obtained from a Swedish gardener on the Osage
River in Missouri" by Roland Morrill of Benton Harbor, Michigan
in about 1880. It was released commercially by Vaughn's
Seed Store in 1887.1
Mr. Morrill also
release 'Hearts of Gold'. About 30 seeds per
gram. |
|
|
 Piel
de Sapo
(Inodorus Group)
100 days
The shinny, green, blotched skin fits the literal translation of
its name perfectly
"toad skin."
The fruits are oblong, eight to twelve
inches long and average about eight pounds. Their flesh is pale
green to white and it is very tender, juicy and sweet.
Relatively rare, the variety originated
in Spain.
|
|
 Planter's
Jumbo Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
88 days
The vines are vigorous, are mildew resistant, and do well in drought
or high rainfall. The fruits have a firm rind with light
ribs and thick, orange flesh, weighing four or five pounds on
average. Selected in 1954 by the USDA and Clemson, South
Carolina
Agricultural Experimental Station. About 35 seeds per gram. |
|
 Plum Granny
(Dudaim Group)
75 days
Also
known as 'Queen Annes Pocket Melon', 'Vine Pomegranate' and
'Perfume Melon'. A very fragrant heirloom. According
to Amy Goldman in her book, "Melons
for the Passionate Grower," this variety has been know
for at least 1000 years. Used in the Victorian-era as a
perfume to mask body odor by carrying in pockets and purses.
The skin of the apple-sized fruit are yellow with deep orange-red
stripes and white flesh. They are edible and some folks like
the flavor. They are kind of like a cucumber without the
crunch. One or two melons fill a room with their perfume.
Our stock comes from David Pendergrass, whose grandmother raised
these melons for years. About 75 seeds per gram. |
|
 Schoon's
Hardshell Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
90 days
The fruits have a very hard shell and are
almost round, weighing up to eight pounds. The flesh is
apricot-colored, sweet and very tasty. Unlike other
varieties, they maintain their taste and texture days after being
harvested. Said to possess better eating qualities than 'Bender's Surprise' and is a
good shipper. Reportedly a cross between 'Bender's Surprise' and
'Honey
Rock'. Introduced by F. H. Woodruff & Sons of Milford,
Connecticut in about 1947. About 28 seeds per gram. |
|
 Small
Persian Muskmelon
(Reticulatus Group)
115 days
The plants have a deep root system and
require less moisture. Ideal for
California. The fruit
can weigh up to seven pounds, are globe-shaped with no ribbing,
have fine netting, and bright orange
flesh with a small seed cavity. About 30 seeds per gram. |
|
Top Mark Muskmelon
 (Reticulatus Group)
90 days A fine shipping variety with a tough rind to protect fruit from
bruising. May be picked at full slip stage of maturity. the oval fruits are 3 to
3ฝ pounds and measure 5 x 5ฝ inches. The flesh is sweet, deep
salmon colored with a small seed cavity.
About 35 seeds per gram. |
|
|
Security
