Red-Seeded Lemon Balm (Cucurbita caffer)

Red-seeded lemon squash (Cucurbita caffer): also known as lemon watermelon or winter watermelon. An ancient species originating in Africa, likely from the Kalahari Desert , it has been cultivated in Italy since the 17th century or earlier. Little-known but of great importance: it requires very little water, is extremely hardy, and tolerates strong sunlight well. It is highly productive and perfect for winter storage. In its native regions and in other semi-desert areas where it is grown (such as Mexico, where it quickly acclimatized), it is also used as a water source. It can be eaten raw, but its flavor and texture are not the best. In Italy, it is used for mustards and preserves, thanks to its high pectin content. A traditional recipe from Ravenna can be found in the next section.
Growing it is quite simple, similar in necessity to a spontaneous one. You can also let it grow at the edge of the vegetable garden without worrying too much about it. It will still produce numerous fruits similar to a watermelon of about 2/4 kg, with compact pulp, lemon yellow in colour when ripe.
It can be sown from April to June (Southern Italy). Traditionally, a few fruits are left on the ground; the following season, they will sprout independently, when the temperature is suitable for germination.
Cultivation is very simple, with no particular soil requirements, very little water, and a resistance to fungal diseases. They take a long time to ripen, but you can harvest the pumpkins (or watermelons) and store them indoors to ripen.
They are ready for consumption when the pulp is a beautiful lemon yellow colour and the seeds are an intense scarlet red.

This species is a champion of sustainability, it has very few needs, requires minimal soil cultivation, does not require irrigation (dry farming) , and can be preserved for a long time both when harvested and when processed without the use of electricity.

We report the recipe as sent to us by Mr. Fabrizio Zani, who grows the Green-Seeded Cedrina in the Ravenna area (the recipe is suitable for both ecotypes).

"If it can be useful, I'm sending you the recipe for watermelon jam as passed down by my family.

For every kg of pulp cut into cubes without peel and seeds, 200 g of sugar (I use 225 g).
For each fruit of about 10 kg I use the peel of a lemon, the peel of an orange, both finely chopped, and a vanilla pod.
Place everything in a large pan and let it rest for 6-8 hours. I prepare it the night before and start cooking it the next morning.
Cook over medium heat for about 6 hours, until it begins to thicken. Some cubes will retain the consistency of candied fruit.
I hope this email can be useful
Thank you "

*= Very low, does not require irrigation

**= Low, also suitable for hot and arid areas, water only in case of prolonged drought

***= Reduced, one of the least demanding varieties of the species, suitable for areas with sporadic rainfall, irrigate only in case of prolonged drought

****= Tolerant to water stress, requires moderate irrigation, suitable for low-water consumption gardens.

Unfortunately, until the guide is published, this is just a rough guideline to avoid confusion. Dryland farming requires cultivation techniques suited to the soil and soil conditions. All varieties have been acclimated in Italy.