Queen Anne's Pocket Melon

I just obtained some seed of Cucumis melo dudaim (Queen Anne's Pocket Melon, or Pomegranate melon). I'm hoping this is the same plant my grandmother grew in her garden. I believe the name she used was 'plum granny'. Does anyone know if this is the same plant? I remember the melons (or fruits) having a very distinct fragrance. Thanks for any help. Gary

This message was edited Friday, May 18th 12:03 AM

Yes, bluejay...the nickname you mention (Queen Anne's pocket melon) is also known as plumgranny. I'm growing some this yr also. They are also called mango melon and vine peach...does that sound familiar?

Thanks Horseshoe. It's been more than 30 years since I've seen any of these. I was hoping it was the same plant. I've recently tried locating and growing some of the plants my mother and grandmother grew. My mother was an avid heirloom seed collector. I just wish I'd had enough foresight to save some of her seeds.

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Patty
The Pomegranate melon, or Queen Anne’s Pocket melon is a small melon/gourd with a yellowish color, and has a very fragrant aroma. It has apparently been grown for centuries. The lady that sent me the seeds stated they were poplar in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, and that Queen Anne was reported to carry one in her pocket as a perfume sachet.
Also I don’t think they are edible… used mostly as a novelty and for the fragrance.

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Yes they are edible, but some varieties have lots of seeds in them. Must be very ripe to eat, or you can also make a preserve from them.

Would any of you share some seeds? I can email my list or for postage...
Larkie

Horseshoe,....didn't realize that people actually eat these things, I guess you do learn something everyday. I believe I’ll pass on the preserves. I have a feeling that plumgranny preserves would be an acquired taste. lol

Patty, I don’t know why she grew them (but I suspect the seeds were passed down from her parents). The plum grannies were just one of those (nostalgic) things I remember from visiting her as a five-year old. I also remembered her having a large garden with vast expanses of flowers and shrubs, but recently while looking at some old photographs I realized what 35 years can do with your memory. The pictures showed a very small garden plot with a few flowers. I guess some things are best left to memory.

Larkie, I have a few remaining seeds. E-mail me your address, and I’ll place them in the mail.

I was glad to read about hte Plum Grannies. I used to grow them years ago. Some of them are quite tasty, others are not. Does anyone know about the citron? It looks like a watermelon but has a tough skin and the inside meat is green. It is not good to eat but makes wonderful preservs. We used to plant them in the cornafter laying by time.

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Growth conditions may have todo with taste. The seeds were passed dowm from year to year and from family to family so I never knew the name except Plumgrannies. There may be different varieties.

Ferncliff...HAH! I remember as a boy when we STOLE some watermelons from a farmer's large patch...he even shot at us (from quite a distance away)...two of my friends dropped their watermelons while running as fast as 10 yr old legs could go. I tucked my prize under my arm like a football player and made it out of there! When we got to the treehouse we discovered these watermelons weren't ripe, and tasted terrible. Watermelons? HAH! My first introduction to CITRONS!

I remember the confusion very well . Water melons were planted in the middled of both cotton and corn.When you were tired and thirsty picking cotton or gathering corn you could bounce one if it cracked you feasted if not you carried it home for preserves.

I'm not familiar with the citron. Is it a type of watermelon? In the spring catalog of Territorial Seed Company they list the "Red Shine" variety of citron under the watermelon listings. They state that they citron was widely grown in the '30s and '40s for pickles, preserves, and candied fruit.