James H. Schutte
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS melo 'Ananas d'Amerique A Chair Verte'
Plant Common Name
Ananas d'Amerique A Chair Verte Melon, Melon
General Description
The heirloom pineapple melon, 'Ananas d'Amerique A Chair Verte', translates to “pineapple of America with green flesh", so it has roots in both France and America. Its elongated oval fruits have greenish-tan netted skin and firm, ivory or pale green flesh that’s sweet, fragrant and somewhat like pineapple. The vines produce lots small to medium pound fruits that are ready for harvest around 75 to 80 days after planting. This cultivar may also be sold under the name “ananas.”
Melons are tropical annual vines with long, spreading stems that cling via springy tendrils. Their big lobed leaves are coarse, fuzzy and medium to deep green. Bright yellow, funnel-shaped flowers are produced when the vines reach maturity. The flowers are monoecious, meaning separate male and female yellow flowers appear on each vine. The pollen producing male flowers open first, followed by the female flowers, which have distinctive bulbous ovaries at their bases. Only the female flowers produce melons and each must be pollinated by bees for fruit set, so be sure to encourage these productive garden insects.
For best performance, plant melons in full sun and friable, fertile, deep soil with good drainage. Vines should be planted after the danger of frost has passed. It is common practice to create mounds of soil to grow melons in. The seed can be directly sown in ground. Melons need space to grow and should be surrounded by a layer of straw to protect the fruits from rot and keep weeds at bay. If space is limited, they can be grown on a trellis and fruits supported with cloth slings. Heavy rains can cause ripe fruits on the vine to split and lose sweetness.
This melon is best harvested when the skin becomes fragrant, the undersides of the fruits turn yellowish and emit a hollow sound if knocked.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 4
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Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Fruit
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
8"-14" / 20.3cm - 35.6cm
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Width
5'-12' / 1.5m - 3.7m
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Hybrid Origin, Africa
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam
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Growth Rate
Very Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Vining/Climbing
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Seasonal Interest
Summer, Fall
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Yellow
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Fruit Color
White, Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan, Sandy Brown
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Light Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Light Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Light Green
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
Yes
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
Yes
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
