Are yellow watermelons edible?
Yellow watermelon is far from being as popular as the common watermelon with a red or pink core, but it does exist and has been around for more time than you might think. Watermelons are vine plants of the Cucurbitaceae family and produce large, edible fruits with the same name.
Why are some watermelons yellow?
These yellow varieties of watermelon are actually the original form of watermelon and were first cultivated in Africa. According to a study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, lycopene is the compound that gives color to many popular fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and red watermelon.
Are Clay County watermelons rare?
Extremely rare heirloom from Clay County, Alabama. Our original seed has been stored in a freezer since 1976. Yellow-fleshed watermelons reach 50 lbs, and are reputed to be the sweetest, best-tasting yellow-fleshed watermelons grown.
Is there a difference between red and yellow watermelon?
In addition, both red and yellow melons have the same type of crisp texture, grow with rinds, and can grow with seeds or seedless. After the last frost, it’s time to plant watermelon seeds.
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Why are yellow watermelons rare?
Traditional watermelons get their signature pink hue from lycopene, the same antioxidant that makes tomatoes and grapefruits red. Yellow watermelons, however, don't contain lycopene, so they never take on a reddish color. Surprisingly, the cultivation of yellow watermelons came before pink watermelons.
Where can I find yellow watermelon?
If you're at the grocery store looking for a nice, ripe yellow watermelon, check for melons that have a creamy yellowish spot on the rind. A ripe watermelon, yellow or red, should feel quite heavy and should also make a hollow sound if you lightly thump it.
Is there a real yellow watermelon?
Yellow watermelon is a summer fruit that gets its name from its bright yellow flesh. While traditional watermelons with red flesh may be more familiar and widely available today, yellow watermelons have been grown in Africa for nearly 5,000 years.
Is yellow watermelon more expensive?
Generally, it is no more expensive to buy a yellow watermelon than a pink or red one because they require the same amount of growing space, fertilizer, and time to grow. Seeded watermelon and watermelon without seeds are often easy to find in grocery shops or farmers markets.
What is the rarest type of watermelon?
Densuke watermelons are so rare that only one hundred grow in a year. They are considered to be the most expensive variety of watermelon on the planet. Also known as Black watermelons, these special fruits are not sold like normal watermelons.
Is a yellow watermelon OK?
Yellow watermelons are generally slightly sweeter than red watermelon and have a honey-like flavour. Nutritionally yellow watermelon is a great snack with only 46 calories per cup. It is high in vitamins A and C, making it good for your immune system and skin health.
Are yellow watermelons mutated?
The flesh of watermelons turning yellow is a natural mutation. In fact, the originator of our commercial variety, which comes from Africa, is a yellow to white fleshed fruit. The fruit has a sweeter, honey-like flavor as compared to red fleshed melons, but many of the same nutritional benefits.
Do white watermelons exist?
They can, but according to Dave's Garden, the White Wonder watermelon (Citrullus lanatus 'White Wonder') is a rare kind that's also called an icebox fruit. It is smaller than regular watermelons, coming in at about 3 to 8 pounds.
What color is the sweetest watermelon?
yellowAccording to the experts at the Watermelon Board, yellow and orange watermelons are generally sweeter than those with pink or red flesh. Seedless watermelons tend to have a crisper texture than those with seeds, they add.
Is there a black watermelon?
As it turns out, black seedless watermelons, as the American version is generically referred to, are cultivated in Northern California. And while they come unpolished and unboxed, these melons still sport a sugary punch of summer beneath a slick, minimalist rind.
Which watermelon is tastiest?
10 Great Watermelon VarietiesBradford Family. This watermelon is a true heirloom treasure. ... Sugar Baby. The quintessential icebox melon. ... Jubilee Bush. ... Georgia Rattlesnake. ... Odell's White. ... Charleston Grey. ... Mountain Sweet Yellow. ... Moon and Stars.More items...•
What color is a perfect watermelon?
If it is ripe, the color should be a creamy, almost butter-like yellow. The bigger the yellow belly and the creamier the color means the more time the melon spent ripening on the vine. However, if the spot is smaller or looks more white than yellow, then the melon may not be as ripe.
Is yellow watermelon in season?
Yellow watermelons are available year-round, with a peak season in the summer.
How do you buy yellow melons?
Look for a round, symmetrical honeydew melon. Ripe and mature melons should look smooth and round. Avoid melons with strange bumps and lumps as these are signs that they haven't properly matured.
What is yellow watermelon called?
Buttercup Yellow Melon (a hybrid that's considered the sweetest of seedless melons) Desert King (a type that's almost orange in color) Yellow Flesh Black Diamond (a melon that has a dark green rind and is about as sweet as pink watermelon) Yellow Doll (a variety that's small and matures quickly)
Does Trader Joe's have yellow watermelon?
How beautiful is this yellow watermelon?! 🤗 Yellow watermelons have a sweeter, honey like flavor as compared to traditional watermelons. 📸@sugarnspicewithsandra picked one up at her local #traderjoes and I can't wait to find this at my local Trader Joe's!
What is Yellow Watermelon?
Yellow watermelon is just the same as any other watermelon, except in color, it is yellow, due to its flesh on the inside instead of the more common pink or red color. People use yellow watermelon the same way they’d use any other type of red flesh watermelon.
Nutritional Value of Yellow Watermelon
Yellow watermelons contain many of the same nutritional properties as normal red watermelon, with some notable differences. Recent research suggests that these watermelons contain high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C – 18 percent and 21 percent of your daily requirements, respectively, in each cup of this fruit.
Using Yellow Watermelon
There are many uses for yellow watermelon, largely the same as red watermelon. [5]
Storage of Yellow Watermelon
If you plan to keep yellow watermelon for a longer period of time, it is important to know the proper way to store them.
Difference Between Red & Yellow Watermelon
The primary difference between red and yellow watermelon, as mentioned above, is the difference in chemical compounds. The pigment compounds found in red watermelons are lycopene, whereas yellow watermelons contain beta-carotene, the same chemical that gives color to carrots. [6]
Yellow Watermelon at a Glance
At first glance, yellow watermelon vines (Citrullus lanatus) look almost identical to their red cousins. The leaves, flowers, and even fruits look the same. The real surprise is when you split the green orb open only to discover yellow or yellow crimson flesh instead of the regular red one.
Benefits of Yellow Watermelon
If you like to eat your yellow watermelon as an occasional snack on a hot summer afternoon, you might want to reconsider that. The more you eat this delicious and healthy fruit, the better your health will get. That’s because it’s packed with minerals such as magnesium, iron, and phosphorus. In addition, it has decent amounts of vitamins A and C.
Yellow Watermelon Varieties
With all of these health benefits, you might expect yellow watermelon to be more popular and have plenty of cultivars. However, red watermelon still reigns supreme over the hearts and palates of consumers. Still, there are a few varieties you can choose from.
How to Grow Yellow Watermelon
To avoid disappointment, the best way to get your hands on yellow watermelon seeds is from the ripe fruit itself. Cut a sweet watermelon of the variety you like and pull out the seeds. Wash them and make sure they are healthy. Any seeds that look flat or have unusual shapes should be discarded. Wash the seeds and dry them on a paper towel.
Yellow Watermelon Care
While growing yellow watermelon vines on mounds and hills is easier than growing them vertically, you still have to contend with pests and diseases and getting water to the roots of the vines without sprinkling the leaves and vines. Ventilation also becomes an issue since high humidity triggers fungal infestations.
Harvesting Yellow Crimson Watermelon
On average yellow watermelon starts to ripen from 65 to 90 days after you plant the seeds. For all intents and purposes, the ripe crimson watermelon doesn’t look any different than an unripe one. However telltale signs on the vines themselves are clues of how ripe the fruits are.
