Cucumis melo L.

Cantaloupe; Honeydew Melon

Vine

Annual

Vascular

Cantaloupe is an introduced annual herbaceous vine in the Cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae). It is found scattered throughout Alabama. Cantaloupe occurs in prairies, on roadsides, in fields, and on creek banks. Varieties of this species give us both the Cantaloupe and the Honeydew Melon. Cantaloupe is an annual vine climbing by tendrils. The stems are green in color, angled, and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate to 3-5 lobed in outline, pubescent, with scalloped margins. Flowers are produced from the leaf axils. Pistillate flowers are solitary and staminate flowers are 2-7 in fascicles or panicles. There are separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Flowers are campanulate and yellow in color. The fruit is a pepo (melon). The young fruit are mottled with dark green. Upon ripening they are a bright lemon yellow, pale green, or tan in color. The flesh is white, green, or orange and somewhat bitter to very sweet. This species has been cultivated since ancient times in the Middle East and Africa. Its origins are thought by some to be Africa and by others to be India. Many “types” are grown worldwide. Gulf Coast Melon (Cucumis melo Linnaeus var. texanus Nadin) is believed to have been introduced into North America from Asia in prehistoric times. It differs from other varieties by have appressed instead of spreading hairs on the young fruit, stems with abundant retrorse prickles, and smaller sized fruit.—A. Diamond

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Not Native

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