Home Subscribe Write for Us FAQ Contact HubGarden Login

Are you familiar with paddy melons?

Gayle Beveridge

Food (698) Nature (53) Plants (12)

Wikimedia Commons

Paddy Melons or the Afghan or camel melon is prevalent in the arid areas of Australia. I had heard it was introduced by the Afghan cameleers as a food for their animals. It is a prostrate, trailing plant and when the vine dies off the melons sit about on the ground looking like someone had thrown them there in abundance.

Are you familiar with paddy melons? What are they good for? Can they be eaten?

#Plants
#Food
#Nature

I like this Question - 13

Ask and answer questions for a share of ad revenue - click here

[ Submit an Answer ]

Top Answers

It was only last year I first saw paddy melons. It was in the NSW outback. They looked so strange as the vine had withered and the fruit was just sitting about. Many were on the road and our tour guide told us that to open the fruit the birds roll them onto the road and wait for cars to drive over them. Our Aussie birds are so clever.

by Gayle Beveridge

I haven't heard of them before. Nature is amazing :)

by VerityG

Never heard of them!
It doesn't surprize me they are around....nature is pretty wonderful :)

by jonaja

Never heard of them, but since I hate melons of all kinds, I never go seeking them out.

by Bryony Harrison

by Maria

No I have never heard of them. Can people eat them?

by Gia

I've only encountered the wallabies that go by the same name, never the melons.

by Jennifer Muirhead

Oh! Thought you were talking about the wallaby-like creatures! Lol!

by donjo

Yes, I've seen them along the side of the road many times. They seem to be there when there's a drought on, or perhaps I only see them then because other weeds don't flourish and cover them up ...

by carolyncordon

Am I? When we were kids we use to throw them at each other and arrive home smelling all shades of horrible. Wasn't a popular pass time with the parents but us kids thought it was amazing. So I can not vouch for eating but I have certainly "worn" my fair share!

by Shelley Murphy

When I was a kid we used to find them in the scrub. We didn't throw them at each other but we threw them at trees, posts etc.

by Marie Vonow

Yes, I have heard of them, but was told they are not for a food for humans to eat. I can see the fun in throwing them around & smashing them up though!

by Miro

More Questions by Gayle Beveridge