Cucamelon - The Doll House Melon

These tiny, 1" light-green fruits with darker mottling look like watermelons for a dollhouse. The flesh is white, crisp, and crunchy with a slight lemony tartness. The flavor is closer to a cucumber than a melon. This tiny treasure can match the crunch of pretzels and chips.

An excellent conversation piece in the garden, or as an edible centerpiece at the table. The vine is attractive and productive enough for hanging baskets. Also known as the Mexican Sour Gherkin, mouse melon or “Sandita” (little watermelon in Spanish).

One person described them as, “Cucumber with a bit of watermelon rind and a squeeze of lemon juice."

Check out the short video below from James Wong, an English botanist, BBC personality and "obsessive foodie grower" on the cucamelon from Sutton's Seeds in England. On a side note, we provided the seeds to Sutton's for the initial grow-out!

History

Native to Mexico and Central America, they were first described by the French botanist Charles Victor Naudin in 1866, but have been a staple of Mexican cooking since pre-Columbian times.



Uses

Their uses are only limited by your imagination, as they are excellent in stir-fries, pickled just like French gherkins, sliced in half to top salads while sparking conversation, or chopped and added to salsas. Party cocktails are more engaging when garnished with these miniature watermelons!



Growing Tip

In favorable climates, cucamelons produce tubers in the roots that can be overwintered for an earlier and large crop the second year!

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