Muskmelons are considered to have the finest flavour of the three types of this species. They have a large seed cavity and a "netted" exterior.
Cantaloupes have a milder flavour, a scaly exterior and often deep grooves like pumpkins or squashes.
Winter melons have a mild, sweet flavour. They have a hard exterior and their flesh ranges from white to pale orange to light green, depending on type.
Low in calories, muskmelons are an excellent source of both Vitamins A and C, high in potassium and a source of folacin.
Melons appear in 4,000-year-old Egyptian depictions of banquets. The Old Testament refers to them and we know the Greeks, Romans and ancient Chinese enjoyed them.
Early Spanish explorers brought the fruit to the New World where they were first cultivated by aboriginal peoples and later by European settlers.
This site is maintained by the Government of Ontario, Canada.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
