Plant Library

Other Names:  Rockmelon, Sweet Melon, Spanspek

Description:

A lovely selection with wonderful heat and drought tolerance; produces slightly ribbed, oval fruit with golden beige netting and salmon orange flesh; sweet and firm, great for snacking, desserts and even wrapped in prosciutto

Edible Qualities

Cantaloupe Melon is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces large tan oval melons (which are technically 'berries') with salmon flesh which are typically harvested when mature. The melons have a sweet taste with a firm texture and a distinctive fragrance.

The melons are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Juice-Making
• Freezing

Planting & Growing

Cantaloupe Melon will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Because of its vigorous growth habit, it may require staking or supplemental support. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America.