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Watermelon’s history dates back 5000 years to southern Africa where the tough, drought-tolerant ancestor of watermelon thrived. Although we don’t know the exact identity of this plant, we do know it was prized for its ability to store water and was used by indigenous people in the Kalahari Desert region.
Where did watermelon originally come from?
Conclusions The diverse evidence, combined, indicates that northeastern Africa is the centre of origin of the dessert watermelon, that watermelons were domesticated for water and food there over 4000 years ago, and that sweet dessert watermelons emerged in Mediterranean lands by approximately 2000 years ago.
What country is watermelon native to?
Background and Aims Watermelons, Citrullus species (Cucurbitaceae), are native to Africa and have been cultivated since ancient times. The fruit flesh of wild watermelons is watery, but typically hard-textured, pale-coloured and bland or bitter.
When was the first watermelon found?
The first watermelons appeared in South Africa some 5,000 years ago, and we still can find many wild variants there, from sweet, too bland and bitter. They spread from there and by the 2000th year BC they were cultivated and became an everyday food in ancient Egypt.
Where was melon first found?
Watermelons are thought to be native to northeastern Africa. Wild watermelon seeds have been found in Uan Muhuggiag, a prehistoric site in Libya that dates to approximately 3500 BC. Watermelons were domesticated in Egypt by 2000 BC, and sweet dessert watermelons spread across the Mediterranean world during Roman times.
Who first discovered watermelon?
The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred in Egypt nearly 5000 years ago. Because of its great water content, early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
Who invented the word watermelon?
The watermelon fruit was introduced in Europe by the 13th century, by the Moorish invaders, and the word made its first appearance in the English language, in John Florio’s compilation of Italian proverbs A World of Words: “Cicómero, a cucumber or water Melon.”Jul 26, 2016.
Who invented seedless watermelon?
Information from the Watermelon Board shows seedless watermelons were invented more than 50 years ago by H. Kirata, a Japanese scientist and professor at Kyoto University. Seedless watermelons look and taste like ordinary watermelons minus the black seed.
Why is watermelon called watermelon?
Watermelon Flesh Is More Than 90% Water Watermelon’s botanical name, Citrullus vulgaris, comes from the diminutive form of citrus, referring to the color and shape of the fruit, and vulgaris meaning common or ordinary fruit.
Where does yellow watermelon come from?
First grown in Africa about 5,000 years ago, yellow watermelons went through generations of selective cross-breeding for texture, color and sweetness before any pink variety ever appeared. As the lycopene content of hybrid varieties increased over time, the fruit naturally became redder and redder.
Why watermelon is not good for you?
If you eat an abundance of the fruit daily, however, you may experience problems from having too much lycopene or potassium. The consumption of more than 30 mg of lycopene daily could potentially cause nausea, diarrhea, indigestion and bloating, according to the American Cancer Society.
What is the original color of watermelon?
Traditional watermelons get their pinkish to red hues from lycopene, the same powerful antioxidant that makes tomatoes red. Obviously, watermelon varieties that do not contain lycopene will often have a yellow flesh.
How did watermelons become seedless?
Seedless watermelons were invented over 50 years ago, and they have few or no seeds. Watermelon breeders discovered that crossing a diploid plant (bearing the standard two sets of chromosomes) with a tetraploid plant (having four sets of chromosomes) results in a fruit that produces a triploid seed.
Where are strawberries from originally?
Strawberries are native to North America, and Indigenous peoples used them in many dishes. The first colonists in America shipped the native larger strawberry plants back to Europe as early as 1600.
What country eats the most watermelon?
China consumed over 70 million tons of watermelon last year, with the per capita watermelon consumption exceeding 50 kilograms (kg), as indicated by the FAO figures.
Are all watermelons red inside?
Not all watermelons are red. While everyone recognizes the lush red inside the average watermelon, some of these fruits are a golden yellow-orange or pale green.
Is there a male and female watermelon?
There is no such thing as a boy versus girl watermelon, even though there are male and female watermelon flowers. North Carolina is in peak watermelon season right now, so regardless of the size or variety, your watermelon should taste sweet and juicy.
Why do watermelons have stripes?
The watermelon rind often provides clues to its ripeness, Egel said. “A watermelon that is ripe will be faded on the top. If the watermelon has stripes, look at the area between the stripes. A smooth rind usually indicates a good fruit.
Are watermelons native to Europe?
Scientists agree that the watermelon’s progenitor—the ur-watermelon, if you will—was cultivated in Africa before spreading north into Mediterranean countries and, later, to other parts of Europe.
What happens if you eat too much watermelon?
Consuming large quantity of watermelon may increase the level of water in our body. If the excess water is not excreted, it can lead to an increase in the volume of the blood, further causing swelling in the legs, exhaustion, weak kidneys, et al. It may also lead to loss of sodium levels in the body.
What is the best tasting watermelon?
25 of the Best Watermelon Varieties Picnic. Allsweet. Charleston Gray. Crimson Sweet. Icebox. Blacktail Mountain. Bush Sugar Baby. Sweet Beauty. Personal. Golden Midget. Little Darling. Giant. Black Diamond Yellow Belly. Carolina Cross #183. Seedless. Big Tasty. Mini Piccolo. Orange, Yellow, or White Flesh. Orange Crisp. Orangeglo.
