Native to France where it is prized, this melon was grown in the US as early as 1850. The most unique and beautiful French melon we sell! The fruit is 5 to 8 lbs, very flattened and ribbed, with warts and bumps. These drought-tolerant plants prefer a dry season to reach their best quality. True cantaloupes do not slip when ripe. Best picked when the skin starts to turn from slate grey to blush tan and becomes fragrant. Food historian William Woys Weaver recommends picking them slightly earlier and ripening them on a window sill for the sweetest fruit. Cousin to the amazing Charentais Cantaloupe.
Pollination occurs by insect, bird, wind, humans, or other natural mechanisms. Because there are no restrictions on the flow of pollen between individuals, open-pollinated plants are more genetically diverse. However, as long as pollen is not shared between different varieties within the same species, then the seed produced will remain true-to-type year after year.
This variety has a history of being passed down within a family or community, similar to the generational sharing of certain items like jewelry or furniture.
* This is an estimated guide. Conditions may vary considerably due to location.
85 days
