Opinions differ when it comes to classifying the watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) as a fruit or vegetable. Interestingly, this classification is not officially based on the taste of a fruit.

The origin of the watermelon

The watermelon has its botanical origin in Africa, where there are still wild forms called Tsamma melon. However, the watermelon varieties that are economically important today, such as the Sugar Baby or the Crimson Sweet, differ greatly in taste from their wild relatives. The flesh of the wild forms does not taste as sweet as the cultivated varieties we know. Rather, it used to be more common in many regions of the tropics and subtropics to grind the large seeds of the watermelon into flour and use it to bake a kind of bread. In Europe, during the peak season between May and September, watermelons mostly come from the following countries:

  • Spain
  • Hungary
  • Turkey
  • Israel
  • Iran

The watermelon as an annual plant

Many people classify watermelons as a fruit rather than a vegetable due to the sweet taste and positioning on the supermarket shelf. Watermelons are usually consumed in this country as a refreshing dessert in midsummer. However, the distinction is correctly made on the basis of a completely different criterion. It is important for this that melons are not only closely related to cucumbers, but also grow on annual plants like other vegetables. At harvest time, the tendrils of the watermelon die back between the fruits, and new plants for the garden are grown from the seeds inside the fruits the next season. Consumption as a dessert or savory side dish is not important for this classification, after all, due to the ripening on perennial plants, the fruits of the olive tree are also correctly counted as fruit.

Sweet and savory varieties of watermelon

Watermelons are not only enjoyed as a sweet fruit refreshment all over the world. In Russia, recipes for spicy pickled watermelons are very popular as a long-life vegetable side dish.

tips and tricks

Watermelon seeds can also be eaten as a tasty snack if roasted in a pan like sunflower seeds and seasoned with a little salt.

Category:

Vegetable garden