Botanical Name: Cucumis Cantalupensis
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Cucumis
Species: C. melo
Subspecies: C. melo subsp. melo
Variety: C. melo var. cantalupo
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Cucurbitales
Common Names: Cantaloupe (also cantelope, cantaloup, muskmelon (India and the United States), Mushmelon, Rockmelon, Sweet melon, Honeydew, Persian melon, or Spanspek (South Africa)) refers to a variety of Cucumis melo
Habitat: The cantaloupe originated in Iran, India and Africa; it was first cultivated in Iran some 5000 years ago and in Greece and Egypt some 4000 years ago.
The European cantaloupe is lightly ribbed (sutured), with a sweet and flavorful flesh and a gray-green skin that looks quite different from that of the North American cantaloupe.
The North American cantaloupe, common in the United States, Mexico, and in some parts of Canada, is actually a muskmelon, a different variety of Cucumis melo, and has a net-like (or reticulated) skin covering. It is a round melon with firm, orange, moderately sweet flesh and a thin, reticulated, light-brown rind.[6][verification needed] Varieties with redder and yellower flesh exist, but are not common in the U.S. market.
Description:
Cucumis melo cantalupensis is an annual creaper, growing to 1.5 m (5ft).
It is frost tender. It is in flower from Jul to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Insects.The plant is self-fertile.
Cultivation: Requires a rich, well-drained moisture retentive soil and a warm, very sunny position. A frost-tender annual plant, the cantaloupe melon is widely cultivated in gardens and commercially, especially in warmer climates than Britain, for its edible fruit. Some varieties may succeed outdoors in Britain in hot summers but in general it is best to grow melons under protection in this country. Grows well with corn and sunflowers but dislikes potatoes. The weeds fat hen and sow thistle improve the growth and cropping of melons.
Propagation: Seed – sow early to mid spring in a greenhouse in a rich soil. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. Sow 2 or 3 seeds per pot and thin out to the best plant. Grow them on fast and plant out after the last expected frosts, giving them cloche or frame protection for at least their first few weeks if you are trying them outdoors.
Edible Uses:
Fruit – raw. Said to be the finest-tasting of the melons, cantaloupes have a very watery flesh but with a delicate sweet flavour. They are very refreshing, especially in hot weather. Rich in vitamins B and C. The flesh of the fruit can be dried, ground into a powder and used with cereals when making bread, biscuits etc. The size of the fruit varies widely between cultivars but is up to 15cm long and 7cm wide, it can weight 1 kilo or more. Seed – raw. Rich in oil with a nutty flavour but very fiddly to use because the seed is small and covered with a fibrous coat. The seed contains between 12.5 – 39.1% oil. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.
Medicinal Uses:
The fruits can be used as a cooling light cleanser or moisturiser for the skin. They are also used as a first aid treatment for burns and abrasions. The flowers are expectorant and emetic. The fruit is stomachic. The seed is antitussive, digestive, febrifuge and vermifuge. When used as a vermifuge, the whole seed complete with the seed coat is ground into a fine flour, then made into an emulsion with water and eaten. It is then necessary to take a purge in order to expel the tapeworms or other parasites from the body. The root is diuretic and emetic.
Good news for calorie counters. Even though cantaloupes are sweet, they actually come with a very low calorie content. A single cantaloupe only contains 34 calories per serving.
Health buffs should note that the fruit contains valuable nutrients and is loaded with fiber. Cantaloupes boost metabolism and contain niacin, which lowers your risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases.
Cantaloupes also contain vitamin B6, which helps improve your immune system, and folate, which is great for the heart and helps avoid strokes. This super fruit also contains, vitamins A and C. These are essential to the maintenance of good vision and defending the body from infections, respectively.
Research Links Cantaloupes to Disease Prevention:
Studies also show that cantaloupes are one of several fruits that actually contribute to lowering the risk of contracting breast, prostate, and/or colon cancer. It is also said that the consumption of cantaloupes helps in avoiding age-related macular degeneration or the deterioration of the eye’s macula because of its zeaxanthin component. Consuming cantaloupe also helps in lowering the risk of contracting asthma because of its high content of beta-carotene.
If you are thinking of buying cantaloupes, keep in mind that the ripeness of these fruits is quite hard to gauge. However, ripe cantaloupes are usually heavier as compared to unripe cantaloupes. Ripe cantaloupes also resonate a deeper and a hollower sound when you rap your knuckles on the fruit.
Overall, cantaloupes not only taste good but they’re also equipped with impressive nutritional properties. So the next time you have sweet craving, choose cantaloupes!
Known Hazards: But before consuming this fruit, it would be important to note that it contains a high amount of fructose which may be harmful to the body if taken in excess. Remember that cantaloupes, like other conventionally grown fruits, are usually grown in farms that use toxic insecticides, so it would be wise to buy them from local, organic farms to eliminate the risk of consuming these harmful toxins.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantaloupe
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Cucumis+melo+cantalupensis
http://www.drmercola.com/health-foods-2/cantaloupes-the-well-rounded-fruit/