THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Watermelon

Lisa Karen Miller

“When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat. It was not a Southern watermelon that Eve took; we know it because she repented.”

Mark Twain        

No Fourth of July picnic would be complete without a great fat watermelon, and of course, a seed-spitting contest.  Some children actually used to believe that if they swallowed one it would take root in their tummy and grow until it split them open. This seed of untruth was usually planted by an older sibling.

I’m looking at you, Michael.

Citrullus lanatus was sacred to ancient Egyptians. Its image has been found in many tomb paintings. There is evidence that it was being cultivated there over 4,000 years ago. Watermelon seeds were found at a Libyan settlement that was at least 5,000 years old.

The ancestor of the fruit (technically a vegetable, being in the gourd family) we know today was bitter with hard, pale green flesh.  The sweet delight we now enjoy is the result of thousands of years of selective breeding. It was first cultivated in Africa, then spread north to the Mediterranean region and on to Europe.

First cultivated for its remarkable ability to retain water – today’s varieties contain about 91% – the melon was bred to change its rather unappetizing taste. Early versions had a yellowish flesh, a step beyond their original green. It took on a red hue because the gene for red is paired with the one that determines sugar content, so the color and taste developed together.

Its other desirable attribute was its ability to keep longer than other fresh fruit, up to a few weeks if stored properly.

The ancient Greek name was pepon. Both Hippocrates and Dioscorides touted its healing powers. Victims of heatstroke had the cool wet rind applied to their heads.  It was also prescribed as a diuretic. Pliny the Elder called it an extremely cooling food, and prescribed it for those with hot tempers, which aligns with one of its symbolic meanings – peace.

In Vietnam, roasted watermelon seeds are eaten at the new year, called the Tet festival.

Poet Sylvia Plath, when heavily pregnant with her first child, described herself as “a melon strolling on two tendrils” – a sentiment many women can identify with.

In the garden, watermelon can be planted between rows of corn.  Nasturtiums and oregano will help deter its pests.  Peas, sunflowers, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, and radishes are other beneficial companion plants.

In 1860s America, Nathaniel Bradford introduced his Bradford watermelon, featuring super-sweet flesh, pearly seeds, and a softer rind. Today, 100 million tons of watermelon are grown worldwide.

Get yourself some fresh watermelon when it’s in season. 

You definitely won’t repent.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller