Snap Melon (Cucumis melo momordica)

Family: Cucurbitaceae | Edibility: Choice Edible (4/5)

Cucumis melo momordica is a ANNUAL CLIMBER growing to 1.5 m (5ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Nuts/Seeds

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Rich in oil with a nutty flavour but very fiddly to use because the seed is small and covered with a fibrous coat. — Fruit - raw or cooked.; The fruits are small and smooth, either oval or cylindrical in shape with a mealy, somewhat insipid or slightly sour flesh.; They are eaten when young and still tender, either raw or cooked as a vegetable.; Ripe fruits are used for dessert.

Habitat & North American Range

Derived through cultivation, it is not known in a truly wild location. (Zone 9)