| Author | (Thunberg) Matsumura & Nakai | |
| Distribution | Scattered across the state, mostly in the outer Coastal Plain.
Native of Asia and Africa; in N.A. ME to IL, KS, and NV, south to FL, TX, and CA. | |
| Abundance | Uncommon in parts of the Coastal Plain; rare westward. | |
| Habitat | Roadsides, crop fields, old fields, horse trail parking lot, maritime thickets, waste ground, dump. | |
| Phenology | Flowering June-frost; fruiting August-frost. | |
| Identification | Watermelon needs no description, as far as the fruit goes. The plants are prostrate creepers or climbers, up to 6 feet or more long. Leaves are well-spaced, palmately or pinnately 3 or 5 lobed. Tendrils occur opposite each leaf -- hardly needed as it grows along the ground! Flowers are yellow, the petals only 7-16 mm long. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | | |
| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE | |
| Global Rank | GNR | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | UPL link |
| USACE-emp | UPL link |
