Wax Melon

A mammoth version of the ancient winter melon from Asia. Wax melon has been dated back 2700 years ago in China; thanks to its long history, countless recipes exist for this versatile fruit. A staple winter food, its waxy rind helps to preserve the fruit for up to 12 months. The flesh is candied and stuffed into dessert pastries, stewed into hearty winter soups, stir fried and used to fill moon cakes for China’s Autumn Moon Festival. Fruit can weigh up to 75 pounds each. This beautiful black type is a popular wax melon variety in China, but still unknown here. Named for the long dark fruit which resembles a bullet. Excellent storage quality and snow-white flesh. An excellent substitute for zucchini squash, but these are tastier! Thin (and eat) young fruit to get giant-sized fruit.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-21 days
• Ideal Temperature: 65-85 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1 inch
• Plant Spacing: 3 feet
• Frost Hardy: No
• Benincasa hispida

Growing Tips: Soak seed 24 hours. direct seed (or set out transplants) after last spring frost. Thrives in rich, moist soil.