Require much water to reach maturity. High seedling mortality is common. Taprooted, with extensive, shallow lateral roots that maximize absorptive area. Adventitious roots occasionally develop at some leaf nodes. Male flowers have 3 separate stamens.
Female flowers have an inferior ovary.
Fruits are produced from March until the first hard frost. Pepos or melons oblong to round and generally 3-6 cm wide . Surfaces are net-veined or covered with minute stiff hairs and lack prickles . Immature fruits are green, but become mottled or striped with yellow or orange , or are solid yellow or orange at maturity. Each fruit typically contains about 270 seeds.