10 Fascinating Facts About Watermelons

Believe it or not, summer will one day be upon us and that means watermelons will once again be dominating produce displays everywhere.

Believe it or not, summer will one day be upon us and that means watermelons will once again be dominating produce displays everywhere.

To help you prepare for that glorious moment, here are 10 cool things to know about the warm weather favorite.

Number 10. Watermelons come in more than 12 hundred varieties. As many as 300 kinds are cultivated throughout the US and Mexico.

Number 9. In Japan they grow square ones. The technique is remarkably simple. While still growing on the vine, the melons are enclosed in boxes and naturally take the shape as they get bigger. They're big in Russia, where consumers pay over 800 dollars a piece for them.

Number 8. The juicy flesh of watermelons comes in a variety of colors. In addition to the regular red, varieties in shades of orange, yellow, and white are also available.

Number 7. They could be a natural Viagra. The verdict is still out, but one researcher claimed that watermelon may have a similar effect on the body as Viagra, to relax and dilate the blood vessels.

Number 6. By weight, watermelons are about 92 percent water. 6 percent is attributed to sugar yet they manage to pack a nutritional punch, offering a variety of vitamins and minerals, notably vitamin C.

Number 5. Guinness World Records lists the heaviest watermelon ever measured at 268.8 pounds. It was grown in Arkansas in 2005. The melon also won that year's prize in the Annual Hope, Arkansas Big Watermelon Contest.

Number 4. It's good for more than just eating. Watermelon has proven to be a useful home remedy.

Number 3. Thought to have originated in Africa, ancient writings suggesting watermelon cultivation have been found in Egypt and India dating back to 2500 BCE.

Number 2. King Tut took some with him on his trip to the afterlife. Well, watermelon seeds were found in his tomb, anyway. Whether or not it was a Pharaoh favorite while he was alive remains a mystery.

Number 1. It's a fruit...no, wait...it's a vegetable. It was made the official veggie of Oklahoma in 2007. Yet, the rest of the world, including botanists, calls it a fruit. On the other hand, it's related to the cucumber, the pumpkin, and the squash. Hmm...

What do you think? Is watermelon a fruit or vegetable?