What does a watermelon vine look like?

Most watermelon vines are long and rambling, requiring garden plots of up to 4 feet by 6 feet for each plant. The stems are hairy, while the leaves exhibit bilateral symmetry and are deeply lobed; each lobe has smaller lobes. Lobe tips are rounded, and the flowers are yellow.

The watermelon originates from southern Africa and has sweet, bland and bitter varieties in its native land. There are over 1,200 cultivars available, including compact varieties that can be grown in plots as small as 2 feet by 2 feet. Watermelons germinate readily from seed but demand much attention, making them unsuitable for beginning gardeners.