Six varieties and their uses are described. Watermelons, Citrullus vulgaris , are in the same family as pumpkins, rock melons and cucumbers.
Watermelons are a popular summer fruit and can also be eaten in salads.
The fruit may be round, oval or cylindrical, depending on the variety, and weigh from 3 to 25 kg. The colour of the skin may vary from white through shades of green and may be mottled or striped. Flesh colour varies from yellow through to red. Red-fleshed varieties are the most popular. When selecting watermelon varieties, consider where and how they are to be marketed and consumer preferences at the intended market.