22 Different Types Of Cantaloupes You Should Totally Try 2022

If you love to eat melons, why don’t you try different types of cantaloupes? It is the favorite summer fruit of many people! It is juicy, delicious, and safe for your health with no fat, cholesterol, or calories!

It is easy to learn the ways to slice a cantaloupe and enjoy it with your family members on a hot summer day! There are more varieties of cantaloupes than you have ever imagined, so let’s learn about them through this article!

What Are Cantaloupes?

Cantaloupe, also called rockmelon, sweet melon, and spanspek, is a variety of muskmelon, which is a member of the family Cucurbitaceae. It is a juicy summer fruit with orange flesh and rough, webbed skin.

You may be curious about the actual size of a cantaloupe. Cantaloupe is huge, like watermelon, and can weigh up to 5 kilograms! There are also smaller varieties that are around 1 kilogram.

Cantaloupes have existed for thousands of years. It includes mostly water and many nutrients like fiber, vitamin A and C, potassium, etc., which can improve your health by lowering blood pressure and preventing cancer.

If you are wondering about the peak harvest season of cantaloupes, the answer is it will vary based on the climates of the place where it’s grown. You can find cantaloupes everywhere on Earth. It is also a familiar fruit to Americans.

Let’s quickly learn how to pick a perfect cantaloupe!

5 Original Types Of Cantaloupes You Should Know

Do you know that cantaloupe is a type of melon that consists of many other varieties? They are the most famous kinds of cantaloupes that are probably the ones you purchase from any grocery store!

1. European Cantaloupe

European cantaloupe has a signature rough rind. Its pattern is rarely netted with gray-green hue and green stripes. The exterior has no crisscross patterns. The flesh of this cantaloupe type tastes really sweet and musky.

European cantaloupe actually doesn’t come from European countries! It is said to arrive in Italy in Europe from Africa or Asia. It gets the name since Cantalupo, Italy is where people harvest this cantaloupe variety.

These European cantaloupes are one of the most popular types of cantaloupes that are super easy to find! You can always make delicious dessert dishes for the summer with some slices of them! Enjoy the most refreshing dishes with this cantaloupe! 

2. North American Cantaloupe

North American cantaloupe are similar to European cantaloupe with pretty sweet, juicy orange flesh. The texture is a bit pulpy and soft. You may find this type of cantaloupe in most stores near your house.

North American cantaloupe has netted and softer skin than European cantaloupe. There are many signs showing that this cantaloupe is ripe! Its skin color will change from greenish to tan, while the flesh still maintains the same flavor.

3. Charentais Cantaloupe

Charentais cantaloupe originates from the Poitou-Charentes in Western France, hence its name. This type of cantaloupe is actually smaller than most other types, with a smooth and creamy-gray exterior. Its dense and flavorful flesh inside is bright salmon-orange.

You may find Charentais cantaloupe pleasantly sweet with high sugar content. With the extraordinary taste, texture, and fragrance, people consider Charentais one of the best varieties of cantaloupe ever produced!

Discovering more about Charentais cantaloupe with a short review is a great idea!

4. Japanese Cantaloupe

Japanese cantaloupe is famous for its size and appearance with an exceptionally beautiful and smooth rind. This special type of cantaloupe is extremely expensive and usually used as a gift that the high class buys for their guests. 

Japanese cantaloupe also tastes extraordinarily delicious with orange flesh. It smells so fragrant that it may keep you on a binge! If you want to buy it as a gift, consider Yubari King melon. Japanese grow this variety with ultra care, so it’s valuable for both tastes and looks.

5. Asian Cantaloupe

People usually call Asian cantaloupe Persian melon or Hami melon for its origin – the Persian region of Asia. It also tastes musky and sweet with a crispy texture.

The color of its skin is in the greenish or yellowish shade, while its flesh dives in pale orange. Therefore, its color is a bit different from the regular hue of other cantaloupe types. You may recognize the difference at first look!

Asian cantaloupe is different from North American cantaloupe with a more delicate flavor and not-really-netted skin background.

17 Other Popular Relatives And Hybrids Of Cantaloupes

Besides the original varieties of cantaloupes, there are also some hybrids of them that are not as popular as other former types, but it’s great to know more about them, right? Let’s jump right into this section to find out!

6. Honeydew Melon

Honeydew melon is a popular relative of cantaloupes, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. It is actually a different fruit, but it has a similar flesh to that of cantaloupe. The flesh is pale green and super juicy with 90% water.

The waxy rind of honeydew melons is almost not netted and has a whitish to yellowish color. These melons also include light green stripes. They actually have no distinctive aroma since they belong to the inodorous group of melons.

Once the skin of Honeydews turns creamy yellow and you can feel the waxy or smooth texture, it means that they are ripe enough. You may also feel a little bit springy on the underside.

7. Oriental Melon

Oriental melon has the scientific name which is Conomon melon. The appearance of this variety is quite different from others. Its rind is in bright yellow with some white-to-yellow stripes running down from stem to bottom. These stripes look amazingly even!

If you take a bite of Oriental melon, you may find that it tastes something between the flavors of a melon or a cucumber. These melons are also less sweet than most other relatives and hybrids of cantaloupes!

8. Crenshaw Melon

Crenshaw melon is a hybrid between Persian and Casaba cantaloupes. It resembles its parent Casaba. You should know that Crenshaw melon may not have the aromatic characteristic of regular types of cantaloupe.

This type of melon is pretty large in size with a waxy touch and peach-like taste. It is known as one of the sweetest existing melon types. You may want to add some slices of Crenshaw melon in fruit salads, Sorbet, smoothies, or even frozen cocktails!

Make some delicious cantaloupe juice with Crenshaw melon!

9. Canary Melon

You may be amazed to know that both inside and outside of Canary melon are identical to an authentic cantaloupe! Their skin will dive into bright yellow or orange, while the inside is mostly white.

Canary melons also taste a bit similar to cantaloupe, but they are somehow tangier in flavor. However, the sweetness of this melon type is still wonderful! The flesh of Canary melons is soft and may remind you of a pear.

You can have a moderate breakfast with some slices of fresh Canary melons or add them to fruit salads. They also get along really well with fresh herbs and many varieties of citrus fruits. Let’s make some scrumptious dishes with this melon type!

10. El Gordo Hybrid

El Gordo cantaloupe hybrid is an enormous fruit that can weigh up to 30 pounds at maturity! It comes from Eastern countries and will mature from 75 to 80 days. This hybrid of cantaloupe has an oblong shape in beautiful curves with a netted greenish rind.

If you want to make some cantaloupe juice or ice cream! It consists of perfectly sweet and juicy flesh bathing in a medium-orange shade. Your whole summer can be wrapped into an El Gordo cantaloupe hybrid!

You can make juice or smoothies from El Gordo melons or just simply eat them raw. It’s also a marvelous idea to grab some leftover slices and make cantaloupe ice cream or Sorbet from them to blow away the hot summer air!

11. Diplomat

Diplomat is actually a subset of Galia melon that consists of bright green, thick and fragrant flesh inside. When it is ripe, its rind will turn yellow and become netted. It may almost fall off the vine to signal that it is ready to pick.

This muskmelon variety will mature in about 71 days. You may find that it has an amazing mildew resistance. It tastes pleasantly sweet and can be a wholesome snack for your kids!  

12. Sugar Cube

Sugar Cube has a personal size that is a bit bigger than a softball. Its flesh is aromatic and dives in deep orange. You may fall in love with its sweetness because it is much more intense than pie or even candies! That’s also the reason why it gets that name.

You can serve some slices of Sugar Cube with a scoop of your favorite ice cream type to get the perfect lunchtime snack! You may also eat them fresh like a refreshing dessert after a big meal.

13. Athena Hybrid

Athena hybrid of cantaloupe contains an outstanding inside with an aromatic taste and tender texture. The rind outside is netted with a pale green background. The salmon-orange flesh inside is super juicy and tastes extraordinarily sweet!

This Athena hybrid is truly the dream of every gardener! It is durable, easy to grow, and can reach maturity shorter than most other varieties, which is only about 75 days. The fruits still maintain their texture and flavor for a long time after maturity on the vine.

See how Athena cantaloupes differ from other Western cantaloupe types! 

14. Divergent

You may find Divergent similar to some American cantaloupes. However, its flesh is somehow tastier. This type of cantaloupe hybrid is resistant to many viruses like fusarium wilt or powdery mildew. It will mature in about 75 days.

When Divergent fruits are ripe, you will observe the light yellow-green outside and the lovely pastel-orange firm flesh inside. It has a special sweet flavor that can join in many desserts or sweet treats.

15. Sensation

Sensation is a French variety of melon with a kind of complicated taste. To describe the flavors, imagine a mixture of undernotes that include amaretto, cinnamon, and hazelnut. You may be amazed by its incredibly white flesh and orange-yellow rind.

The unique aroma of Sensation will spread all over the place! It smells and tastes pleasant and will be a great fresh fruit treat for you to enjoy on a hot summer day!

16. Sarah’s Choice

Sarah’s Choice is a super flavorful, juicy, and sweet bred of cantaloupe from the University of New Hampshire. It consists of creamy-green, heavily netted rind and delicious flesh.

The seed of Sarah’s Choice can grow effectively in northern climates, and it will take 76 days to fully mature. It is actually another cantaloupe hybrid with vigorous vines and high resistance to many diseases!

17. Hearts Of Gold

Hearts of Gold bred is famous for its aromatic, thick, juicy orange flesh and super thin rind. This is actually a classic cantaloupe from the late 1800s that may remind you of those summer days eating cantaloupe right in the garden. I’m sure you’ll love its sweetness!

18. Galia Cantaloupe

This fruit that starts with the letter “G” originates from Israel. This famous hybrid between cantaloupes and melon has a local name called Sarda. You may find their exterior similar to that of cantaloupes, and the flesh is really like that of a honeydew melon.

These Galia cantaloupes are much smaller than some original varieties, which are North American and European cantaloupes. They are packed with a lot of nutrients and vitamins that are super wholesome for your body!

You should totally eat Galia cantaloupes when they are fresh and chilled with a sweet and subtle taste! In Southeast Asian cuisines, some slices of this cantaloupe type can be a great dessert after a filling meal.

Here’s how you can cut a Galia cantaloupe with a spoon! 

19. Ichiba Kouji

Ichiba Kouji is a unique Japanese melon variety that is sold widely in Japanese local markets. It contains an incredibly round shape with netted green rind and bright green, juicy, thick flesh. It can adapt to any region and climate and is super easy to grow.

You can add some slices of Ichiba Kouji to any salad or platter dish calling for a type of melon! It will be an extraordinary addition to your dish!

20. First Kiss

You may be surprised to know that First Kiss is a short-season type of cantaloupe with only 71 days of reaching maturity. It has densely netted skin that consists of an orangish tint. The flavor of this cantaloupe type is always sweet and never gets bland!

21. Halona

Halona is an early cantaloupe variety in Eastern countries. This fruit is finely netted and usually consists of a perfectly global shape. You may easily tell when this melon is ripe because it also has the “full slip” characteristic that looks like falling out of the vine.

Halona may not taste exactly identical to a traditional cantaloupe, but it contains an intense muskmelon-like flavor. You can eat it fresh or add it to salads. It is surely one of the best hybrid cantaloupes ever!

22. Oregon Delicious

Oregon Delicious is an heirloom variety of cantaloupes that is famous for its pleasant sweetness and melting characteristic. It has an oval shape, a ribbed, and netted rind.

This Oregon Delicious cantaloupe will mature in about 80 to 90 days, and its harvest season is in mid-September.

5 Scrumptious Recipes With Cantaloupe That You Must Try!

Now that you have known all about the different types of cantaloupes, how about making some delectable dishes or beverages with this summer fruit? I bet that you and your family members will fall in love with these spectacular foods and drinks with cantaloupe!

Cantaloupe And Cucumber Salad

This Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad dish will be a refreshing and delicious side dish for your family, from the young to the old! It is super easy to do with fresh herbs, cantaloupe slices, and cucumber with a splash of flavorful spice!

Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad is best when served cool. All you need to do is slice and mix all the prepared ingredients!

Cantaloupe Smoothie

How about a fresh smoothie from cantaloupe? I’m sure that a hot summer day will be much better with a glass of cantaloupe smoothie! You may want to choose the type of cantaloupes with your favorite sweetness so that you will not have to add more sugar!

You can always also drink this spectacular cantaloupe smoothie to replace a filling breakfast and start your new day! A beverage with thousands of benefits for your health, so why not?

Cantaloupe smoothie may be easier to make than you think!

Corn, Cucumber, And Cantaloupes Salsa

Salsa, including corn, chopped cucumber, and cantaloupes, will be a great snack dish for a party or family get-together! It is kind of a fruit salad, which you can eat raw or serve with some tortilla chips or grilled chicken.

Make this simple dish to surprise your guests when they visit your house! Simple yet stunning with a touch of a cantaloupe!

Sweet And Spicy Grilled Cantaloupe

Have you ever tasted grilled fruit? It may sound weird at first, but grilled cantaloupe is super flavorful and will be a great addition to your meat dish. You should marinate slices of cantaloupe with honey and smoked paprika for the best flavor!

I’m sure that these sweet and spicy grilled cantaloupe slices are one of the most tasting versions of cantaloupe that you have ever eaten! So, why don’t you try to make them at the next BBQ party?

Cantaloupe-Mint Sorbet

What do you think about making some refreshing Sorbet with some cantaloupe and mint for your children in the summer? I bet that they will love it immediately! It is super easy to make with no complicated gadgets or ingredients. What a perfect recipe to cool down a hot day!

What Will Be Your Best Cantaloupes Type?

After getting through this article, have you found the best cantaloupes to enjoy on these hot summer days? I’m sure that they are all juicy and tasty from the very first bite! You may also want to taste the hybrids of cantaloupes for the new flavors!

I hope that you feel satisfied with all the information in this article! Like and share it if you want to send it to your family and friends so that they can know more about this spectacular type of fruit! Comment below if you’re going to ask me something about this article!