Escorial Cantaloupe
Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis 'Escorial'
Height: 18 inches
Spacing: 3 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Description:
An extra-early variety, perfect for sunny gardens; produces small, 2lb yellow-green, medium netted melons with deep orange, aromatic interiors; sweet and firm, excellent for snacking, desserts, breakfasts and wrapped in prosciutto
Edible Qualities
Escorial Cantaloupe is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces small green round melons (which are technically 'berries') with yellow overtones and orange flesh which are typically harvested when mature. The melons have a sweet taste with a firm texture and a sweet fragrance.
The melons are most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh Eating
- Eating When Cooked/Prepared
- Juice-Making
- Freezing
Planting & Growing
Escorial Cantaloupe will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 3 feet apart. Because of its vigorous growth habit, it may require staking or supplemental support. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.
This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
