Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieties. Watermelon is grown in favorable climates from tropical to temperate regions worldwide for its large edible fruit, which is a berry with a hard rind and no internal divisions and is botanically called a pepo. Watermelon is a sweet and refreshing low-calorie summer snack. It provides hydration and also essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Watermelons vary in size, appearance, and flavor, depending on the specific variety, and generally have a small to large, oblong, oval, to round shape. The rind is thick, smooth, hard, and waxy, showcasing solid light to dark green hues or a base green coloring with darker green, broken, and mottled stripes. Underneath the surface, the flesh has a soft, granular, crisp, and aqueous consistency, encasing dark brown-black or white oval seeds. The flesh also ranges in color from pink, red, white, green, orange, to yellow.
Watermelons are typically sweet with moderate sugar content, averaging from 9 to 12 Brix, a unit of measurement for sugar, contributing to the flesh’s mild, sweet, and subtly fruity, earthy flavor. Ripe Watermelons should feel firm and heavy for their size and display a yellow spot on the rind where they sat in the field. While not always a reliable indicator, some consumers select Watermelons based on the sound they make when tapped. Ripe Watermelons are rumored to have a dull, hollow, and muffled sound.
