melon

Growing on vines in warm regions, the melon originated in central Asia and is prized for its edible, fleshy fruit. The genus melon (Cucumis melo) is in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). The seven cultivars of melons weigh anywhere from two to nine pounds and melons are ripe when they give off a sweet, musky scent. Spanish introduced the melon to North America in the 1600s and today, the pueblos of Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Santo Domingo and San Felipe all grow their own unique strains of melon.