In the hot summer, everyone is eager to take a juicy bite of melon and get chilled by the sweet refreshing taste. People tend to consider that tropical areas might produce better melons. In fact, this is not true. If you visit the northeast China's Heilongjiang Province during summer, you will definitely fall in love with this fruit called muskmelon.

Muskmelon is a melon with special fragrance and sweet taste. The origin of this fruit is unknown, but it is believed to exist since the Ancient World. 

For muskmelon, the warm weather in both subtropical and temperate zones and a well-fertilized soil will help it to thrive, as long as it does not get diseases. Currently, varieties of this melon are cultivated in different parts of the world.

The Heilongjiang muskmelon is famous for the smooth skin, sweet fragrant and refreshing taste. Comparing to others, this melon is an improved variety with better resistance capability and a better taste. Therefore, visitors usually carry a whole bag of muskmelons on their way home.

Due to high market demand, farmers in Heilongjiang are thinking of ways to sell more muskmelons, hence they put a lot of effort in grafting the melon plants and building greenhouses for cultivation. With more techniques developing, the muskmelon is gradually becoming a fruit available all through the year, enabling more and more people to take a sweet bite and fall in love with it when they visit northeast China.

China's Flora Tour

From the wetlands along the coast to the dense rainforests hidden in the southwest of China, all boast an array of plant species. In this series, CGTN will go on a tour to learn about some of the most iconic flora in different provinces and see how they live in harmony with the local climate and topography. 

(Cover photo via VCG, designed by CGTN's Du Chenxin.)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com)