Watermelon is native to the Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa. Egyptians left the fruits in the tombs of pharaohs to nourish their departed in the afterlife.

It is believed that the watermelon made its way to North America with African slaves through the Atlantic Ocean.

In the English dictionary the word "watermelon" first appeared in 1615.

In the 1940s, Charles Fredric Andrus, an agricultural researcher of Charleston, US, developed the first oval-shaped watermelon with hard rind called later Charleston Gray. This made this kind of watermelon easy to stack and ship, and because of its high adaptability it could be grown in many regions.

Japanese farmers found a way to grow the watermelons that are even more easier to stack and store. Using the glass boxes as receptacles, they grow cubic watermelons.

The season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. The watermelons with yellow flesh taste the same as red-fleshed.

Watermelons are 92 percent water and are wonderful diuretics. They are also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and B6, and lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risks of age-related diseases.

Watermelon Nutrition Facts
Watermelon Recipes