Oklahoma’s Official State Vegetable – Watermelon?

Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus

Apparently, the Oklahoma state legislature has a little difficulty telling the difference between a fruit and a vegetable. Although there has been a long running debate over whether a tomato should be classified as a fruit or a vegetable, it is widely accepted that the watermelon is a fruit; that is by almost everyone except the Oklahoma legislature.

In March, 2007 the Oklahoma Legislature chose the watermelon as their Official State Vegetable. They already had an Official State Fruit, the strawberry, which they chose two years earlier (2005).

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture apparently agrees> According to the NCDA:

The watermelon is of the Cucurbitaceae (or Gourd) family. It’s origin, Africa, was established by David Livingstone (noted missionary explorer), in the 1850′s. He found great tracts of watermelon growing wild in the Kalahari desert of Africa. Cultivation by man dates back at least 4000 years to the Egyptians.

 

 

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Watermelon is native to central Africa where it was domesticated as a source of water, a staple, and an animal feed. There are 4 million acres of watermelons in the world with China and the middle Eastern countries the major consumers. In the United States, watermelon is utilized in fresh desserts and salads. Total domestic acreage is approximately 200,000 acres and is concentrated in Florida, California, Texas, and Georgia. Over 30 million hundredweight of commercial-sized melons are produced annually. Per capita consumption is about 15.4 pounds.

Source: Cucurbit Germplasm Committee Report: Watermelon

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Oklahoma State Bills

Tuesday, March 7: -SB 1359, by Sen. David Myers, would specify standard colors to be used in production of the Oklahoma State Flag and would designate the watermelon as the official state vegetable.

Source: Oklahoma State Legislature

 

 

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