How did the watermelon get its common name?
The C. lanatus produces a fruit that is about 93% water, making it the majority of it water, hence the name “water” melon. The “melon” part came from the fact that the fruit is large and round and has a sweet, pulpy flesh.
Citrullus lanatus...what does that even mean?
The scientific name of the watermelon derived from both Greek and Latin roots. The Citrullus part comes from a Greek word “citrus” which is a reference to the fruit. The lanatus part is Latin, and has the meaning of being wooly, referring to the small hairs on the stems and leaves of the plant.