How Do You Identify A Watermelon Plant?
Everyone knows what a watermelon fruit looks like, but far fewer can recognize the vine from which it grows. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a sun-loving tropical vine that has distinctively lobed leaves of a light green color. They feel hairy, as do the whitish pale green stems. The flowers are yellowy green and are pollinated by bees, leading to the formation of the first round fruits of solid green that elongate and show the characteristic mottling or stripes of light and dark green. Look at the habit of the plant you think is a watermelon. Watermelons are vines, usually sprawling across the ground in a sunny location. At maturity, each vine is 10 to 15 feet in length, from stem base to vine tip and has tiny tendrils, or thread-like curling stems at leaf bases. Note the time of year. Watermelons prosper in warm temperatures and do not survive frosts. If it is early in spring when temperatures are still below 60 degrees F, or in autumn after a frost has occurred, chances are the vi
