Solanum muricatum

Also known as the melon pear, tree melon, or pepino melon, this evergreen shrub is a native to South America. In the same family as the tomato, pepper, and eggplant, it is a sun lover. A perrenial plant, sensitive to chilling, it is sold in farmers markets in Chile and Peru. The fruit is of variable shape and size, more or less rounded or oblong, and can be up to about 6 in (15cm) long. As it ripens, the pale green color becomes more yellow-cream, with purple stripes. With juicy and moderately sweet flesh, having the same texture as a melon, its flavor is quite similar to a cantaloupe. Propagation is via cuttings, as the seeds germinate poorly. Delicious in chutneys, it is great for pickling, and I am curious to add it to gazpacho. We have five plants, just now forming fruit. Apparently they do better in a greenhouse, growing to two meters and swarming with fruit. Ahh, next year!

A little history...squash seed were found on archeological digs in Mexico, dating between 9,000 and 4,000 B.C. When the first European settlers were introduced to squash, they originally thought it to be a type of melon since they had never encountered them before. Now there are hundreds of cultivars all over the world.

We grew our acorn squash on a hill, enriched with horse and cow manure, fish parts, and compost. We covered the hill with black plastic to increase the warmth factor, and as a mulch to conserve water. Now you cannot see the plastic unless you get close enough to pollinate the flowers! It keeps the fruit clean and free of soil born disease. We simply water by drip irrigation directly under the plastic. They are thirsty plants!