Muskmelons Originated in Persia
The muskmelon (Cucumis melo), like watermelon, is hardly a vegetable, but it is an important truck and garden crop. There is a tendency in America to refer to muskmelons merely as "melons," but that is confusing because watermelons are also loosely called "melons."
The most popular type of muskmelon in America is the small, oval, heavily netted kind commonly called a cantaloupe. All cantaloupes are muskmelons, but not all muskmelons are cantaloupes.
Muskmelons have a wide range of other forms, sizes, and flesh qualities, such as the Honey Dew, Casaba, and Persian types; the large Bender, Montreal, and such odd varieties as the elongated Banana should not be called "cantaloupes."
Muskmelon will not cross with watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, or squash, but varieties within the species intercross freely.
Muskmelon is so named because of the delighful odor of the ripe fruits. Musk is a Persian word for a kind of perfume; melon is French, from the Latin melopepo, meaning "apple-shaped melon" and derived from Greek words of similar meaning.
Muskmelon is native to Persia (Iran) and adjacent areas on the west and the east. Persia and the trans-Caucasus are believed to be the main center of origin and development, with a secondary center including the northwest provinces of India, also Kashmir and Afghanistan. Although truly wild forms of C. melo have not been found, several related wild species have been noted in those regions.
The oldest supposed record of muskmelon goes back to an Egyptian picture of the period around 2400 B.C. In an illustration of funerary offerings of that time appears a fruit that some experts have identified as muskmelon, although others are not so sure.
Columbus Brought Muskmelon Seeds
The Greeks appear to have known the fruit in the 3d century B.C., and in the 1st century after Christ it was definitely described by the Roman philosopher Pliny, who said it was something new in Campania. The Greek physician, Galen, in the 2d century, wrote of its medicinal qualities, and Roman writers of the 3d century gave directions for growing it and preparing it with spices for eating. The Chinese apparently did not know the muskmelon until it was introduced to their country around the beginning of the Christian Era from the regions west of the Himalayas.
Culture of the muskmelon spread westward over the Mediterranean area in the Middle Ages and was apparently common in Spain by the 15th century. Columbus carried seeds of it on his second voyage and had them planted on Isabela Island in 1494. This was doubtless its first culture in the New World. About this same time Charles VIII of France reputedly introduced muskmelons into central and northern Europe from Rome.
A Spanish writer of 1513 recognized the extremes of quality commonly found in the fruits of this plant and said: "If it is bad, it is a bad thing, we are wont to say that the good are like good women, and the bad like bad women."
The frequent occurrence of poor flavor within the species doubtless explains why its culture spread no more rapidly than it did.
Before the end of the 16th century, the muskmelon doubtless had been introduced by the Spaniards to many places in North America. In the first English colonies in Virginia and Massachusetts it was grown. The North American Indians were commonly growing it in the 17th century, as their cousins of tropical America had learned from the Spaniards to do a century earlier. In the mid-1600's the Indians of Florida, the Middle West, and New England grew it.
Many Grown in Imperial Valley
The muskmelon is reported to have been introduced into Bermuda in 1609 and by the Spaniards into California in 1683. It was grown in Brazil before 1650.
The principal types and various sizes, shapes, and colors now grown were known in the 16th century. That does not mean, of course, that our present varieties date back that far, but that the main characteristics found in our varieties were also known in those days. Improvements have been made in uniformity within varieties, in size and shape of fruits, and especially in thickness and quality of flesh.
Practically all of the cantaloupes now grown in California's Imperial Valley, the greatest melon-producing district in the country, are of special strains recently produced by plant breeders to resist the disease called powdery mildew.
FAQs
Muskmelon is native to Persia (Iran) and adjacent areas on the west and the east. Persia and the trans-Caucasus are believed to be the main center of origin and development, with a secondary center including the northwest provinces of India, also Kashmir and Afghanistan.
What is called melon in Persian? ›
میوه ها
| انبه anbe 'mango' | انار anār 'pomegranate' | آناناس ānānās 'pineapple' |
|---|
| زردآلو zardālū 'apricot ' | خربزه kharboze 'melon' | توت فرنگی tūtfarangī 'strawberry' |
| شلیل shalīl 'nectarine' | شاه توت shāhtūt 'blackberry' | سیب sīb 'apple' |
| موز moz 'banana' | گیلاس gīlās 'cherry' | آلو ālū 'plum' |
| هندوانه hendavāne 'watermelon' | هلو holū 'peach' |
1 more rowIt likely first originated in the Middle East or India, but ancient Egyptians and Romans are known to have grown the melon. Cantaloupe was introduced to Europe in the 15th century and became a popular fruit due to its sweetness. The US cantaloupe is frequently called muskmelon.
What is the ancestor of muskmelon? ›
The present-day muskmelon, Cucumis melo, evolved from the African horned melon, C. metuliferus. The cucumber, C. sativus, is an off-shoot in the evolution of muskmelon.
What is the history and origin of melon? ›
Melons originated in Africa or in the hot valleys of Southwest Asia, especially Iran and India, from where they gradually began to appear in Europe toward the end of the Western Roman Empire. Melons are known to have been grown by the ancient Egyptians.
Where do watermelons originate? ›
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.
What fruit originated in Persia? ›
A number of fruits have originated in Iran, including Persian walnuts, melons, and pomegranates, Apple, Apricot, Grape, Fig, Citron, and many more.
What is Persia national fruit? ›
The pomegranate, or anar, has a special meaning in Persian culture. It is Iran's national fruit and symbolises abundance, blessing, fertility, and immortality. It is commonly included among the “fruits of heaven” together with apples, grapes, and dates. Pomegranate is one of the last fruits to ripen in the year.
What fruit is named for Persia? ›
The Ancient Romans referred to the peach as malum persicum ("Persian apple"), later becoming French pêche, whence the English "peach". The scientific name, Prunus persica, literally means "Persian plum", as it is closely related to the plum.
Are cantaloupe and muskmelon the same? ›
While all cantaloupes are muskmelons, not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. In addition to cantaloupe, other varieties of muskmelon include honeydew, Persian melon, and Santa Claus melon. Muskmelon is a species that belongs to the gourd family.
The high amount of liquid content and low carbohydrate count give cantaloupes a low glycemic load score of 4. That means your body digests it slowly, and it won't make your blood sugar spike. So it's a great pick for people with diabetes.
What is another name for a muskmelon? ›
This type of fruit also contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Other names for cantaloupe include muskmelon, mush melon, rock melon, and Persian melon. They are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with honeydew melons, watermelons, and cucumbers.
What are some interesting facts about muskmelon? ›
Muskmelon, also referred to as 'sweet melon,' got its name from its strong musky smell. It is a yellow-coloured fruit with tempting sweetness and a pleasant aroma. Muskmelon is said to have its origin most likely in a region from India to Africa. It is a summer fruit and is best in April to August.
What is the difference between a melon and a muskmelon? ›
Melon fruit show extreme variations from the common muskmelon, sometimes looking more like an orange, banana, or cucumber! Fruit may be oval, oblong or very long and slender. They may vary in length from three or four inches to more than three feet (snake cucumber-which is really a melon).
What is the English name for muskmelon? ›
A cantaloupe, also called a musk melon, is one of the most common types of melon found in North America. Muskmelon varieties can have orange, green, golden, or pale yellow to white flesh.
What's the difference between cantaloupe and muskmelon? ›
There are several different varieties of muskmelon, and cantaloupe is one of them. Muskmelons have sweet, juicy flesh that can be yellow, orange, white, or green. Cantaloupes have orange flesh and a rind with a rough, netlike pattern. Honeydew is another popular variety of muskmelon.
Are muskmelon and cantaloupe the same? ›
While all cantaloupes are muskmelons, not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. In addition to cantaloupe, other varieties of muskmelon include honeydew, Persian melon, and Santa Claus melon. Muskmelon is a species that belongs to the gourd family.
Are melons native to North America? ›
Melons are believed to have originated in the hot valleys of southwest Asia - specifically Iran (Persia) and India. Early American settlers grew cultivars of honeydew and casaba melons back in the 1600s.
Who brought cantaloupe to America? ›
Cantaloupes were first introduced to North America by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1494. The W. Atlee Burpee Company developed and introduced the "Netted Gem" in 1881 from varieties then growing in North America.
