The Long Answer It’s loosely considered a melon, but it is not a part of the melon genus. Watermelons actually have quite a lot in common with squash, but they’re also not squash. When you look at the “family tree” of a watermelon it shares the Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, and Family of squash.
Is a watermelon in the squash family?
Watermelon is a member of the cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds (classified as Citrullus lantus), related to the cucumber, squash, and pumpkin (Maynard, 2001).
Is melon a type of squash?
The Short Answer
No, melons are not squash, but they are closely related.
What type of fruit is watermelon classified as?
berry
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Grant Heilman/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The fruit is a type of berry known botanically as a pepo. The sweet juicy flesh may be reddish, white, or yellow; flesh colour, shape of the fruit, and thickness of the rind depend on the variety.
Are squash and melons in the same family?
Plants in the cucurbit (gourd) family include melons, pumpkins, squash and cucumbers. Each of those different cucurbits includes plants of different species and genera (plural of genus). Remember, the scientific names of plants consist of two parts: the genus and the species.
Is a cantaloupe a squash?
Cantaloupe is in the same family as squashes, pumpkins, gourds and cucumbers. It grows on a vine on the ground. The difference between a cantaloupe and a squash is in the way we use them. Squashes are eaten as vegetables, while cantaloupes are thought of as a sweet fruit.
What is in the squash family?
Zucchini, squash, marrows, pumpkins, cucumbers, melons and gourds are all members of the Curcubitaceae, Squash or Gourd family. These fruits and vegetables are also known as ‘Curcubits’.
Cucumber, melon, and watermelon are originally from the Old World (primarily Africa and Asia). Although they are in the same family (Cucurbitaceae) with the squashes, pumpkins, and gourds (mostly of the genus Cucurbita ), they are only distantly related.
Is a cucumber a squash?
In botanical terms, the cucumber is classified as a pepo, a type of botanical berry with a hard outer rind and no internal divisions. However, much like tomatoes and squashes, it is often perceived, prepared, and eaten as a vegetable.
Flowering and pollination.
NCBI genome ID | 1639 |
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Year of completion | 2011 |
Are pumpkins melons or squash?
Taxonomy. All pumpkins are winter squash, mature fruit of certain species in the genus Cucurbita.
What fruit is actually a vegetable?
This category includes items many consider to be vegetables, including squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant and avocados. Yes, pumpkins are a fruit! Peas and beans are a bit trickier, because if you just eat what’s inside the pod, you’re eating the seed.
Is watermelon a cucumber?
Cucumbers are actually a fruit — and they belong to the same family as watermelon. Aside from their size and the thickness of their outer rind, one of the main differences between the two is the level of sweetness. Cucumbers are mild and refreshing, watermelons are much sweeter.
What states vegetable is a watermelon?
Oklahoma
Everywhere else it is considered a fruit, but in Oklahoma the watermelon has been officially declared a vegetable. And not just any vegetable, Oklahoma’s house of representatives yesterday voted to award the watermelon the honour of official state vegetable.
Is zucchini a squash or a melon?
Zucchini, Cucurbita pepo, is a member of the cucumber and melon family and is harvested while immature, making the rind tender and edible, like all summer squashes. Botanically, zucchini is a fruit, but it’s treated as a vegetable.
What are watermelons made of?
Watermelon consists mostly of water (91%) and carbs (7.5%). It provides almost no protein or fat and is very low in calories.
Is watermelon and cucumber in the same family?
Watermelons and cucumbers are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, and they have similar growing needs: lots of sun, lots of room for their vines to spread (a fence, cage or trellis can help manage them in a smaller space), consistent moisture and nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
What is the cousin of a watermelon?
cucumbers
Honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and watermelon are favorite summer fruit. Some of their vegetable cousins also ripen in summer: cucumbers, zucchini, and yellow squash.
What type of fruit is a banana?
Berries
Bananas Are Botanically Berries
As surprising as this may sound, botanically speaking, bananas are considered berries. The category a fruit falls under is determined by the part of the plant that develops into the fruit.
Is spaghetti squash a melon?
Spaghetti Squash. The squash and pumpkin are varieties of Cucurbita pepo, while the melons & canteloupe are varieties of Cucumis melo.
What are all the types of squash?
SquashLower classifications
What vegetables are considered squash?
Squash is a family of plants that comes in several different types. Winter varieties include butternut, acorn, delicata, pumpkin, hubbard, kabocha and spaghetti squashes. Zucchini and yellow squash — either with straight or crooked necks — are considered summer squashes. However, squash may be confusing to classify.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.