Dezhou Watermelon

Dezhou Watermelon

Dezhou Watermelon is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Dezhou watermelons are renowned nationwide for their large size, thin rinds, tender flesh, and sweet, refreshing taste. The main production areas are certain towns in Dezhou City and the three counties of Pingyuan, Wu Cheng, and Ling County. The cultivation of watermelons in Dezhou has over 300 years of documented history. According to the "Changhe Zhi Ji Kao" written by Tian Wen during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty: “The Melon Hide Garden is located twenty-five li east of the city on the banks of the Tuohai River, within the Shanjiang Village estate.” Research indicates that the Shanjiang Village Melon Hide Garden at that time was likely situated around Yanghudian, Liujii, and Gouli—areas northeast of present-day Dezhou along the northern bank of the Majia River. In 1939, Professor Wu Gengmin from the Agricultural Department of Shandong University wrote after an investigation: “The cultivation of Dezhou watermelons has a long history, but it only gained widespread fame in recent decades. This is largely due to the introduction of the superior variety '1 Melon.' Its exceptional quality greatly enhanced its reputation, attracting melon traders from as far north as Beiping and Tianjin, and as far south as Nanjing and Shanghai.” During harvest season, Dezhou and the nearby Huangheya Railway Station and canal docks would bustle with carts and boats loaded with melons. Later, however, years of continuous warfare severely impacted watermelon production.

　　Historically, the main varieties of Dezhou watermelons included 1 Melon (Changmi, Xiyangzhen), Lipei, Sanpisyi (San Jieyi), Sanbai, Shoujintiao, and Wuyuexian. Among these, the 1 Melon is oblong with slightly pointed ends, a yellowish-green rind marked with fennel-leaf patterns, a slightly thick skin, bright red seeds, and flesh that comes in deep yellow or light yellow. It is fine-textured, fiberless, and crisp with a sandy mouthfeel—once considered a delicacy among melons. Due to the monoecious nature of watermelon plants, which makes them prone to degeneration, most old varieties have disappeared, except for some large Lipei and 1 Melon types that can still be cultivated. Since the late 1970s, superior varieties such as Mibao, Xudong, Qingfeng, Zhongyu No. 6, Zhongbian No. 1, Zhengzhou No. 3, and Fujuguang have been introduced from other regions, all yielding bountiful harvests.

　　Watermelons thrive in sunlight and sandy-loam soil, and grow best with fertilizers such as sesame paste and soybean cake, while chemical fertilizers should be avoided. Dezhou is located on the North China Plain, where rainfall is relatively low during the watermelon growing season, the climate is dry, and sunlight is abundant. Historically, the alluvial deposits of the Yellow River and the Grand Canal formed extensive sandy loam soils with fine particles, deep layers, loose texture, and good drainage—all of which provide ideal conditions for watermelon growth. As a result, Dezhou watermelons have maintained their longstanding reputation and popularity.

　　Dezhou watermelons are rich in both nutritional and medicinal value. Studies show that every 100 grams of watermelon flesh contains about 9–12 grams of sugar, along with various vitamins and essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, protein, and amino acids—making it an indispensable fruit for cooling down and quenching thirst in the peak of summer.