Moon Melon

Moon Melon - Sebastian Romu © 2018

Description

Common Names

Moon Melon, Vajo Tempt (Waejir)

Classification

Herbaceous, Vine, Flower, Fruit

This common cultivar produces large dark green melons with distinct silvery circular patches on their ground-ward surface. The flowers of the moon melon vine are large purple trumpets. The fruit itself has a lavender coloured flesh, and a sweet kiwi-like flavour. The melon contains seeds of red and white colouration. These seeds if eaten are soporific and can induce hallucinations or vivid dreams.

Ecology

Rarity

Common

Distribution

Tropical through temperate, forests, savannas, plains, or hills.

Life Cycle

Annual, flowering in early summer, this vine produces large melon fruit by early autumn.

Uses

Cultivation

A common cultivar popular for the sweet tasty fruit.

Culinary

edible (fruit)

Medicinal

hallucinogen (seeds), soporific (seeds)

Other

Culture

In Waejir, it is commonly believed that the red seeds will bring on bad dreams while the white seeds will bring good dreams.