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Cucurbitaceae
Honeydew Melon Flower
Cucumis melo var. inodorus
Abundance and summer sweetness.
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus
- Cucumis
- Native to
- Africa, southwestern Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- annual vine
- Height
- 30–50 cm (trailing vine to 200 cm)
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- fertile, well-drained, warm
- Water
- moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 4–11 (annual)
- Lifespan
- annual
Did you know
- Honeydew flowers are either male or female on the same vine; bees must visit both for fruit to set.
- The 'inodorus' variety name means 'without odor' — ripe honeydews lack the musky scent of cantaloupes.
- Each vine can produce 3–6 melons, but limiting fruit count yields larger, sweeter individual melons.
- Honeydew originated in Persia and was cultivated in ancient Egypt over 4,000 years ago.
- The pale green flesh has one of the highest sugar contents of any melon, up to 16% Brix when ripe.
Color meanings
Yellow
harvest joy and plenty