Hetao Melon

Hetao Melon

　　Also known as: Wallace Melon, Inner Mongolia Golden Melon

　　Province: Inner Mongolia

　　Region: Hetao Region

　　Characteristics: Round or lemon-shaped, with smooth skin that may have slight cracks. The flesh comes in pure white, greenish-white, and emerald green. The melon has thick flesh and a unique flavor. Note:

　　Introduction: Grown in the Hetao region of Inner Mongolia, it was introduced from Lanzhou in the early years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and later developed into a local variety through years of hybrid cultivation. The production area lies on the edge of the Ulan Buh and Kubuqi deserts, on the alluvial plain of the Yellow River. The soil is deep, fertile, and rich in organic minerals. With over 3,000 hours of annual sunshine, the climate is dry and features large diurnal temperature variations. Water resources are abundant, with about 160 mm of annual precipitation. Although arid and with little rainfall, the region is irrigated conveniently by the Yellow River. The Hetao Melon is an early-to-mid season variety, sown in early May and harvested in early August, yielding 2–3 melons per plant. It is round or lemon-shaped, classified as a non-netted, self-skin type sweet melon. The skin is smooth, sometimes with cracks, and comes in three colors: orange-red, orange-yellow, and bluish-green. The flesh is pure white, greenish-white, or emerald green, with a thickness of 3–4 cm. It has a high sugar content of 12–15%. The taste is distinctive, combining fragrances reminiscent of apple, banana, and pineapple. It is convenient to transport and easy to store. Currently, it is cultivated in Dengkou, Linhe, Wuyuan, Hangjinhouqi, and Wulateqianqi within the Hetao region. Among these, the melons from Dengkou County are noted for their attractive shape, moderate size, bright skin color, pure quality, sweetness, and crispness, and have been exported to Hong Kong.

　　Each melon weighs around 0.5–1.5 kilograms. It is round with yellowish-green flesh, thick and juicy, blending the aromas of banana, apple, pear, and rose. Its fragrance is refreshing and intoxicating, and its taste is sweet, fragrant, and crisp. It is hailed as the “Number One Melon in the World.” The main production areas are Bayan Gaole Town, Longshenghe Town, Dukou Town, and Bulongnao Office in Dengkou County.