Watermelons

Watermelons are some of the biggest fruits you can buy at a store. They have a hard green rind and sweet pink or red flesh inside. As the name says, they are full of water. A watermelon is about 92 percent water. They are the perfect snack on a hot summer day.

Giant Garden Fruit

Watermelons grow on long vines that creep along the ground. The plants have big green leaves and yellow flowers. One vine can grow many watermelons at a time. It takes about three months for a watermelon to grow big. Farmers tap on the rind to tell if it is ripe.

Seeds and Slices

Most watermelons have black seeds inside their red flesh. Some new kinds, called seedless watermelons, have only tiny soft white seeds. You can eat the red part and even the crunchy white rind. Some people cut watermelon into slices, cubes, or balls. It is a great fruit for picnics and parties.

Fun Facts

• The biggest watermelon ever grown weighed more than 350 pounds.
• Watermelons are related to cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash.
• In Japan, some farmers grow watermelons in square shapes.

Did You Know?

Watermelon is both a fruit and a vegetable. It grows like a fruit but is in the same family as vegetables like cucumbers.