Red Seeded Cedrina (Cucurbita caffer)

Cedrina Red Seeds (Cucurbita caffer): also called Lemon or Winter watermelon.   This ancient species has come from Africa, probably from the Kalahari desert and has been cultivated in Italy since the 17th century, possibly even earlier. A piece of information about this variety that is little known but of great importance is the fact that it needs very little water, it is extremely rustic, and bears full sun exposure without any problem, it is also very productive and perfect for winter conservation.In places where it is native  as well as in semi-deserted areas where it is cultivated (such as Mexico, to where it is immediately acclimatized) it is also used as a source of water. It can be eaten raw, but its  flavour and texture are not the best in that case, in our country, for instance, it is used for making mustard and preserves, thanks to its large content of pectin. In the next section you will find a traditional recipe of Ravenna.Thecultivationis quite simple, assimilated by necessity to a spontaneous plant, you can also let it grow at the edge of the garden without worrying too much, it will still produce numerous fruits similar to a watermelon of about 2/4 kg, with compact pulp, of lemon-yellow colour when ripe.  It can be sown from April to June (South).Traditionally, some fruits are left on the soil so the following season they grow independently when the temperature is suitable for germination.  Its cultivation is very simple, it has no particular needs of soil, requires very little water, and is resistant to fungal diseases. The ripening is quite long, but it is possible to collect the pumpkins (or watermelons) and to storage them at home so that they ripen.  They are ready for consumption when the pulp is of a beautiful lemon-yellow colour and the seeds of an intense scarlet red.

This species is a sample of sustainability because it has very few needs, it requires minimal soil processing, and does not need irrigation (dry farming), it can be preserved for a long time in both ways, as harvest or processed, without using electricity.

We share the recipe as sent to us by Mr. Fabrizio Zani, who cultivates the Green Seeds Cedrina in the area of Ravenna (the recipe is good for both ecotypes).

"If useful, I'll send you the recipe for watermelon jam as handed down by my family. For each kg of pulp cut into cubes, without skin or seeds you need about 200 to 250 gm of sugar, I use 225.  For each fruit of about 10 kg I use the peel of one lemon, and the one of  an orange, both finely cut, as well as a  stick of vanilla; it  should all be placed in a large pan and left aside for 6/8 hours. I do it  in the evening to start cooking the next  morning at medium flame for about 6 hours, just when it starts  to thicken. Some cubes will keep the consistency of the caramelized fruit.  I hope this email can be useful.  Thanks "

1. Very low: no need for irrigation

2. Low, also suitable for hot and arid areas, irrigate only in case of prolonged drought

3. Reduced needs, this variety is amongst the leas demanding of its species, hence it is highly suitable for areas with sporadic rainfall, to be irrigated only in case of prolonged droughts

4. Tolerant to water stress, it needs moderate irrigation, suitable for gardens with low water consumption.

We are currently creating a guide for this kind of cultivation, unfortunately, until the guide is published, this is only an overall indication that we can provide without causing confusion about the process. Dry farming, in fact, requires cultivation techniques suitable for the specific  pedoclimate and substrate. All of the varieties included in this category have been acclimatized in Italy.