There are many watermelon varieties to choose from, and each one has its own characteristics. Some ripen early, some need more space, and others stand out for their color or flavor.
Seeded, seedless, icebox, picnic, miniature, and yellow or orange fleshed types all offer something different.
In this post, you’ll learn about the most common types of watermelons, showing how they grow, how they taste, and what makes them different. Growing tips such as shaping, pruning, and checking for ripeness will also be covered.
Whether the goal is fresh eating or planning a full summer harvest, understanding the different varieties makes it easier to choose the right watermelons for the garden and the table.
Sizes and shapes of watermelons
Most of us think of watermelons as being oblong-shaped with bright red flesh and seeds, but watermelons can have light pink, yellow, or even orange flesh. And it doesn’t stop there!
There are even heart-shaped watermelons and square Japanese watermelons. These unusual shapes are made by placing small watermelons into shaped boxes, so that they adapt the shape of the box as they mature.
The sizes of watermelons can also vary. Watermelons range from small miniature varieties to monsters that weigh over 200 pounds and win medals at the state fair.
Watermelon colors
The colors of the fruit of watermelons also vary. There is a dark green type with lighter stripes on the rind, and the colors can reverse completely to light rind with dark stripes.
Watermelons with yellow rinds are always a surprise to find.
Most of us are familiar with the reddish pink flesh that has black seeds, but many other colors of flesh are available – from pale yellow to peach, pink, and deep red.
Types of watermelons
Watermelons can be divided into several categories: seeded watermelons, seedless watermelons, icebox watermelons, picnic watermelons, miniature watermelons, and the yellow-orange flesh watermelon varieties. Let’s find out more about each type.
Seeded watermelon varieties
These watermelons are the ones that remind us of our youth. They come in both round shapes and also the long, oblong type that is so popular at picnics.
Seeded watermelons range in size from 5 to 45 pounds.
Seeded watermelons can also be part of both the icebox and picnic varieties. The term applies just to the fact that they have seeds in them.
Seedless watermelon varieties
One of the common characteristics of many watermelons used to be that they had seeds. However, since the 1990s, this is not the case.
Breeding of watermelons over the years has resulted in watermelons that are very sweet but don’t have seeds.
This type of watermelon revolutionized our buying habits. Now, seedless watermelons are the type that most people want.
Of course, we can’t have a watermelon seed spitting contest with this type of melon, but that is a small price to pay for the ease of eating them!
Seedless watermelons are both round and oblong in shape. They weigh up to 25 pounds.
Seedless types are not truly seedless. You will see white seed coats in the flesh of seedless watermelons, but they are undeveloped and edible.
Seedless watermelons account for about 85% of the watermelons grown today. It appears we no longer enjoy seed spitting competitions!
Even though it appears that there are no seeds on seedless watermelons, look again! You may find some traces of white seeds. They are edible.
Icebox watermelons
As the name suggests, icebox watermelons are so named because of their size. They range from 5 to 15 pounds.
This size makes them the perfect watermelons to keep in the fridge.
Breeders grew them to feed a small family instead of a big crowd. The most popular icebox watermelon is Sugar Baby, which grows to about 9 pounds.
Due to their smaller size, icebox watermelons mature earlier than the larger ones. Icebox watermelons can have red and pink flesh as well as the yellow/orange type.
Picnic watermelons
If you are planning to feed a crowd, get a picnic watermelon. These big guys weigh between 15 and 50 pounds. This is the watermelon most of us remember from our childhoods.
It’s the perfect watermelon for a 4th of July party.
Picnic watermelons are generally oval-shaped, (but can also be round) and have a bright green rind and deep red flesh.
Some common varieties of the picnic watermelon are Charleston Gray (30 pounds), Crimson Sweet (30 pounds), and Black Diamond (up to 75 pounds).
Picnic watermelons have long maturity times because of their size.
The heaviest watermelon weighs in at around 350 pounds and holds a record in the Guinness Book of World Records. Now that’s quite a picnic!
Miniature watermelons
Standard watermelons require quite a bit of gardening space because of the spreading nature of their vines. Miniature watermelons can be grown in much smaller backyards.
Mini watermelons are round in shape, but their size is much smaller than the big picnic types of watermelons. They can be as small as 1 pound and up to about 7 pounds.
The rinds are dark green with light green stripes, and the shape is either round or slightly elongated. Mini watermelons are seedless.
Most miniature watermelons are about the same size as a large cantaloupe. They are sweet and crisp and very juicy. Their flesh runs from pale pink to deep red.
These small watermelons are seedless and perfect for storing and eating when there are just one or two of you who plan to indulge.
There is even a fruit known as a cucamelon, or mousemelon. It is a Mexican fruit that looks just like tiny picnic watermelons. A whole pile of them can fit into your hands!
The look is where the similarity ends, however. The taste of a cucamelon is something like cucumbers, with a slight sour and lemon flavor.
Yellow and orange flesh watermelons
When you cut into these watermelons, you will discover flesh that ranges from yellow to orange in color. This commercial variety originated in Africa.
It has a sweeter flavor, which is quite honey-like compared to the melons with red flesh, but the nutritional benefits are similar.
These colorful watermelons are round in shape and can range in size from 10 to 30 pounds. They can be both seed and seedless types.
Common types of yellow or orange watermelons are Honeyheart, Tendergold, and Yellow Doll.
How to tell when a watermelon is ripe
Lots of people talk about the sound a watermelon makes when you thump it. A ripe watermelon will have a hollow sound, and an unripe watermelon will have a higher-pitched sound. Personally, I must be tone deaf!
Watermelons, by nature, lie on the ground in one spot as they mature and their bellies change color. This can be an indication of ripeness.
As the plant gets closer to the time for harvesting, the underbelly will change from green to a creamy white or yellow color (depends on the variety). IF the spot is very white, leave it to mature a bit longer.
Watermelon stems also change from green to tan and brown as the melon matures. If your melon’s stem is bright green, it definitely needs to grow more.
Finally, A shiny rind can indicate an unripe melon, while a dark rind indicates more ripeness.
This chart shows several things to look for when choosing a ripe watermelon.
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Summertime is watermelon time, and we've got you covered. From square and heart-shaped watermelons, and those with yellow flesh, there are over 50 varieties of watermelons grown around the world. Find out about them all on The… Share on XPin these watermelon varieties for later.
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Admin note: This post about the varieties of watermelons first appeared on the blog in August of 2012. I have updated the post to more info on the types of water melons, all new photos, some useful growing tips, a printable and a video for you to enjoy.
Printable - How to Choose a Ripe Watermelon
Print out this chart and keep it in your garden journal so that you know when to harvest your watermelon or how to choose a ripe one at the store.
Materials
- Card stock or Glossy Photo Paper
Tools
- Computer printer
Instructions
- Load your printer with heavy card stock or glossy photo paper.
- Print out the graphic below.
- Keep in your gardening journal.
Notes
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Mahbub Anam
Tuesday 15th of September 2020
It's a nice and precise write-up. There are many types and maybe a few hundred thousands of commercial names of watermelon around the world. To simplify the types, could we say at the first segregation 3(Three) types: 1. CRIMSON SWEET(all stripes) 2. CHARLESTON GRAY(all light green) and 3.SUGAR BABY(all black or deep-dark green)? Then it may go Round, High round, Oblong, Square, Deep Stripe, Light Stripe, etc.