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Cucamelons: Grow Cute “Mouse Melons”

Published: Aug. 13, 2019, 11 a.m.

It’s cute. It’s crisp. It’s slightly pungent. It’s the perfect, bite-size snack on a hot, muggy day. What could this garden snack-bite be? If you guessed cucamelon, you’re right!  

Affectionately referred to as the “world’s smallest watermelon”, the cucamelon is a vine that bears edible mini-melons about the size of grapes. The cucamelon tastes like a cucumber with a burst of citrusy tartness from the skin. Commonly known as dandita or “little watermelon” in Mexico, Melothria scabra was a domesticated crop in Central America before the Americas were colonized by Europeans. 

While they look like they’re a cross between a cucumber and melon, the cucamelons are their own unique plant species within the Curcurbitaceae family…and they’re an exceptionally fun crop to grow in your edible garden…so let’s learn how!

Learn More: Cucamelons: Grow Cute “Mouse Melons”

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