Plants
melon
Cucumis melo L.
Family: Cucurbitaceae · Genus: Cucumis
muskmelon
Annual creeping cucurbit. EcoAgri lists it in the ground-cover stratum of the 'up to 6 months' bin. Cultivated in hot, dry climates; very popular in northeastern Brazilian agroforestry.
Götsch succession
- Götsch stage
- Placenta I
- Ecological role
- Pioneer
- Primary stratum
- Ground cover
- Strata
- Ground cover, Low
- Biomass class
- No biomass production
Environment
- Light requirement
- Full sun
- Water requirement
- Moderate
- Drought tolerance
- Moderate
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Soil pH range
- 6–7.5
- Preferred soil texture
- Sandy, Loamy
- Frost tolerance
- 0.0 °C
Morphology
- Mature height
- 0.2–0.4 m
- Recommended spacing
- 0.8–2 m
- Root system
- Taproot
- Root depth
- Shallow
- Growth rate
- Very fast
- Lifespan
- ≤ 1 year
- Time to first harvest
- 2 months
Biomes & climate
Köppen classes
- Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
- Hot semi-arid (BSh) Suitable
Where it fits in a guild
Melon takes the Ground cover stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.
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🪴 Cultivation
Creeping annual that thrives in hot, dry climates; optimal temperature 18–30 °C (tolerates 9–35 °C) and killed by frost. Prefers rich, well-drained soil and a setting without excessive rain or humidity, which lowers disease and improves fruit set. Grown up to about 1,000 m elevation; 3–4 month cycle from sowing to harvest.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How long until the first harvest of melon?
The first harvest of melon comes around 2 months after planting.
What spacing is recommended for melon?
The recommended spacing for melon is 0.8–2 m.
How tall does melon grow?
At maturity, melon reaches 0.2–0.4 m tall.
What stage and stratum does melon occupy in a syntropic system?
In a syntropic system, melon belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the ground cover stratum.
Functions
Propagation
Seed
Citations
- EcoAgri — Organização de algumas espécies vegetais por tempo de vida (placentas) e estrato (Cartilha 'Liberdade e Vida com Agrofloresta') , p. 1 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
- Useful Tropical Plants — Cucumis melo (ph_min, ph_max, frost_tolerance_c, time_to_first_harvest_months, soil_texture_preference, light_need, cultivation_notes)
- Weaver & Bruner (1927), Root Development of Vegetable Crops — cucurbit root habit (root_system, root_depth)
External references
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