Dennis do some of the winter melons have a fuzzy skin when small.

Does one of the winter melons have like a flat area. You would have to take a picture of them laying down instead of on edge as shown. laying down it would show more info on these.

Does one of the melons have sort of a cantalope color around the seeds but the part you eat turns more white as it ages.

Are the seeds of the winter melon like normal melon seeds or more like the bitter melon type that looks sort of like an arrow.

I am trying to identify a melon. Your answers will help me a lot. It seems the only way to get these answers is to grow them all and observe. I really can not do that. I dont have the room for a big grow out.

Thanks for your help. Wish I Lived a block away and could come over and discuss veggies with you. But that is impossible. You are probably about 900 miles away.

I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.

Yes, they are all VERY fuzzy when small. Even the ripe ones have a few residual little spines/hairs on them when mature (they kind of stick in your skin a little bit).

"Flat area" -- the ones that grew on the ground did. The ones that grew up on the trellis and hung in the air did not.

"Cantaloupe color around the seeds?" -- nope, pure greenish-white all the way through, including the little "strings" that hold the seeds.

The seeds look like your basic squash/pumpkin seed, just smaller -- they are very similar to the seeds of Jack-Be-Little pumpkins or very small fruited gourds. They definitely have more of a pumpkin/squash seed shape and look than a cucumber/melon seed shape and look.

Here are couple more photos:

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Inside view of fruit (a little blurry):

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Seeds (really blurry photo, sorry):

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My camera doesn't take good close-ups of small objects, it's just an cheap $80 point and shoot.

I found this image of winter melon seeds online -- mine look exactly like this. They are small, about the same size as a cucumber seed, but a somewhat different shape.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wax Melon Seeds on Google Images

Fantastic. I got some melons and seeds out of some melons from some oriental people. They do not speak English so it is very difficult to talk to them. Very nice people. Now I know which one is the winter melon.

However, there was another melon type with white interior that have seeds like the bitter melon. like arrows. I understand these may not germinate so easy. Anyway these melons are longer and green. As they get old in storage they tend to dry out almost. I did not want to grow this one next year. waste of time. or else I should eat these when young. The inside is a little more stringy than the better one.

I like the one with the cucumber type seeds which must be the winter melons. and the other ones I dont like as well because the skin is very tough. very difficult to get the skin off. the one with the cuc seeds the skin comes off super easy if you simply cook it with the skin on it comes right off when cooked. so incredibly simple. just grab a corner and the entire skin comes off in one easy pull. The most amazing thing I have ever seen.

The winter melon with the cuc seeds is very good to eat in soup. everyone should try it. It is really nice. I kept some seeds out of that one and hope they grow true to form.

Thank you Dennis

Peace

Garden Dawgie