Here are 24 Interesting Watermelon facts.
1-5 Watermelon Facts
1. One of the first things free blacks could grow, eat and sell were watermelons. It became a symbol of freedom that was corrupted into a negative stereotype by southern whites and still persists today. – Source
2. When watermelons are grilled or baked they lose their granular texture and can even be used as a meat substitute, a “watermelon steak”. – Source
3. In 2007, the House of Representatives of Oklahoma declared the watermelon, a fruit, their state vegetable. – Source
4. Half a watermelon in Barrow, Alaska costs $36.96 in late 2017. – Source
5. Watermelon is considered to be a berry. – Source
6-10 Watermelon Facts
6. In Japan, some watermelons are grown into cubes for storing efficiency. This practice was invented by graphic designer Tomoyuki Ono in 1978. – Source
7. Watermelon mosaic virus is a virus that “draws” circles on watermelons. – Source
8. Drinking watermelon juice before a workout helps reduce muscle soreness. – Source
9. The Watermelon War was a riot in Panama City (1856) which started because a drunken American wouldn’t pay 5 cents for a slice of watermelon. It led to the death of 15 Americans and 2 Panamanians. – Source
10. Human-induced evolution created today’s watermelons, growing them 1680 times the size of the original and becoming 3,3 times sweeter. – Source
11-15 Watermelon Facts
11. China produces 68% of the world’s watermelon. They produce 20 times more than the second highest producer. – Source
12. Farmers differentiate watermelon by gender. “Boy” watermelons are longer and more watery, while “girl” watermelons are rounder and sweeter. – Source
13. Watermelon can act as a natural Viagra- but you would have to eat 6 cups to have an effect. – Source
14. There is an extremely rare watermelon called the Densuke, grown on the island of Hokkaido, Japan which has garnered prices in excess of eight thousand dollars. – Source
15. After Hurricane Katrina, watermelons grew everywhere in St. Bernard Parish. – Source
16-20 Watermelon Facts
16. The red part of the watermelon is technically called the placenta. – Source
17. The sweetest watermelon is the Bradford watermelon. Its ‘brix’ measurement is 12.5.” Brix is a widely used sweetness rating, and most melons hover around 10, which is already considered very sweet. – Source
18. There is the Lincoln Watermelon Monument. It is in the shape of a two-foot-long ear-to-ear watermelon slice. It commemorates the day in 1853 when the future 16th President, christened his namesake community (Lincoln, IL) by slicing open a melon and pouring its juice onto the ground. – Source
19. Watermelon contains Citrulline, which can be used to treat erectile dysfunction. – Source
20. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that commercial watermelon grows have at least one beehive per acre of crop. – Source
21-24 Watermelon Facts
21. According to Romani legend, watermelons left out in the full moon become vampiric. – Source
22. There are more than 120 different varieties of watermelon, more than half of which are actually yellow on the inside, outside, or both. – Source
23. Seedless watermelons are cultivated using a chemical commonly used to treat gout. – Source
24. August 3 is celebrated as National Watermelon Day. – Source
