(Citrullus lanatus) Watermelon refers to both the edible fruit and vine-like plant (Citrullus lanatus of the family Cucurbitaceae) of a climbing and trailing herb originally from southern Africa and one of the most common types of melon.
Which type of plant is watermelon?
watermelon, (Citrullus lanatus), succulent fruit and vinelike plant of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), native to tropical Africa and cultivated around the world. The fruit contains vitamin A and some vitamin C and is usually eaten raw.
Is watermelon a climber plant?
Answer: Watermelon is a creeper plant. Creepers- They are the plants that creep on the ground. Their stems cannot support the weight of the plant as they are very fragile, thin and long. Strawberry, pumpkin and sweet potatoes are other examples of creeper plants.
Is watermelon from a bush?
This is a true short internode (the sections between the stem joints) watermelon. These watermelons have compact, bushy vines that grow only 14-18” long and still provide enough foliage cover to protect the fruits.
Is watermelon a tree?
Like the melon, the watermelon, Citrullus lanatus, of the Cucurbitaceae family, is native to Central Africa, in the western Kalahari region of Namibia and Botswana, where many forms are still found in the wild. And also like the melon, the watermelon does not grow on a tree, but on the ground!
What is watermelon considered?
Like the pepper, tomato, and pumpkin, watermelon is a fruit, botanically. It is the fruit of a plant originally from a vine of southern Africa. Loosely considered a type of melon (although not in the genus Cucumis), watermelon has a smooth exterior rind and a juicy, sweet interior flesh.
Why is it called watermelon?
How did the watermelon get its common name? The C. lanatus produces a fruit that is about 93% water, making it the majority of it water, hence the name “water” melon. The “melon” part came from the fact that the fruit is large and round and has a sweet, pulpy flesh.
What is a shrub plant?
A good general description of a shrub is a woody plant with several perennial stems that may be erect or may lay close to the ground. It will usually have a height less than 13 feet and stems no more than about three inches in diameter. Many people use both “shrubs” and “bushes” to describe their plants.
Are watermelon a creeper?
Creepers, as the name suggests, are plants that creep on the ground. They have very fragile, long, thin stems that can neither stand erect nor support all its weight. Examples watermelon, strawberry, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.
Which is the climber plant?
Beans, Cucumber, Grapevine, Gourd, Jasmine, and Money Plant, are a few common examples of climbers.
Is watermelon a flower?
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.
How do watermelon plants grow?
Watermelon vines bear male and female flowers. Don’t be alarmed when some of the male flowers, which appear first, fall off shortly after they open; they are followed by female blossoms about a week later. The female flowers, which have a small swelling at the base of the flower, stay on the vine to bear fruit.
Is watermelon a berry or a fruit?
The elongated tough-skinned fruits of the family Cucurbitaceae, including watermelons, cucumbers, and gourds, are a type of berry referred to as pepos. Any small fleshy fruit is popularly called a berry, especially if it is edible.
What is watermelon 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 a vine?
Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus, is a vining annual plant in the family Cucurbitaceae grown for its fleshy fruit. Watermelon vines are thin, grooved and covered in tiny hairs. Vines are branching and possess deeply lobed pinnate leaves.
Why watermelon is a fruit?
If you talk to a botanist, they’ll maintain that watermelon is a fruit because it develops from the plant’s ovary after flowering and holds the seeds. A vegetable is anything eaten from other parts of a plant, like spinach leaves or carrots (which are roots).
Why is watermelon considered a vegetable?
The website argues that according to Webster’s dictionary, a vegetable is anything made or obtained from plants, so since watermelon is grown as a vegetable crop using vegetable production systems, watermelon is considered a vegetable.
Is watermelon a man made fruit?
They started out as small, hard, bitter fruits, somewhere in Southern or Western Africa. As generations of people selectively planted seeds from fruits that were larger and tastier, they created the sweet, red watermelon we know today.
Can dogs eat watermelon?
The answer is yes, with a couple of precautions. First, seeds could cause an intestinal blockage, so make sure you remove them. It’s also a good idea to remove the rind because it can cause gastrointestinal upset.
Who ate the first watermelon?
Pharaonic Fruit
People have been eating watermelons for millennia. We know this because archaeologists found watermelon seeds, along with the remnants of other fruits, at a 5,000-year-old settlement in Libya.
Is watermelon a water fruit?
Watermelon comprises 92% water, making it a great choice for daily water intake ( 3 ). Furthermore, due to its high water content, this melon has a low calorie density — in other words, very few calories for its total weight.
Justin Shelton is a professional cook. He’s been in the industry for over 10 years, and he loves nothing more than creating delicious dishes for others to enjoy. Justin has worked in some of the best kitchens in the country, and he’s always looking for new challenges and ways to improve his craft. When he’s not cooking, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife and son. He loves exploring new restaurants and trying out different cuisines.