“When one has tasted it he knows what the angels eat.”
— Mark Twain
The United States’ foremost humorist and social commentator had a way with words, and his appraisal of watermelon, the vegetable (yes, that’s correct) that is a long-time symbol of the hot-weather season, is on point. Whether one agrees with his assessment or not, it is difficult to deny the nation’s affection for watermelon or its prominent place on the nation’s tables.
Watermelon has deep roots in U.S. culturehas a long history. First cultivated thousands of years ago, it is popular around the globe. There are more than 1,200 types of watermelon, botanically a vegetable that is closely related to pumpkins and cucumbers, but only a handful of them — 30 to 50 in the United States — are grown commercially.
The United States is among the leading producers. Annual production here — Florida leads all states — is more than 4 billion pounds. That’s not enough to meet demand. Another billion-plus pounds are imported. Demand is highest in summer, but watermelon is now available in most places year-round.