Watermelon vs Honeydew: What's the Difference?
Short answer: Watermelon and honeydew aren't close relatives: watermelon is Citrullus lanatus, honeydew a Cucumis melo variety. Watermelon has red, ultra-watery flesh, a hard green rind, and scattered black seeds; honeydew has pale-green, dense-sweet flesh, a smooth cream rind, and seeds in a central cavity. Both are low-calorie and hydrating, with watermelon lighter and honeydew a touch sweeter and denser.
| 🍉 Watermelon | 🍈 Honeydew | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Crisp, watery, and cleanly sweet with a faint cucumber freshness (they're family). Yellow varieties add honey notes; the flesh nearest the seeds is the sweetest. | Delicately sweet with honey, pear, and cucumber-blossom notes and a silkier, denser bite than cantaloupe. The "inodorus" family name means unscented — subtlety is the design, not a flaw. |
| Type | Melon | Melon |
| Peak season | Summer | Summer, Autumn |
| Origin | Northeastern Africa (Sudan/Kalahari region), cultivated in Egypt 4,000+ years ago | Probably Persia/West Africa lineage of Cucumis melo; the modern type fixed in France and Algeria |
| Calories (per 100 g) | 30 | 36 |
| Sugar (per 100 g) | 6.2 g | 8.1 g |
| Vitamin C (per 100 g) | 8.1 mg | 18 mg |
| Fiber (per 100 g) | 0.4 g | 0.8 g |
| Potassium (per 100 g) | 112 mg | 228 mg |
| Typical price | Budget | Budget |
They’re the two melons most likely to appear at a summer barbecue, yet watermelon and honeydew aren’t really the same fruit.
A watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is the hydration champion: bright red (or yellow) flesh that’s over 90% water, a hard green rind, and seeds scattered right through the flesh. The taste is light, crisp and purely refreshing rather than intensely sweet.
A honeydew (Cucumis melo, Inodorus group) is a true melon, cousin to cantaloupe. Its pale-green flesh is denser and sweeter — almost syrupy and faintly floral — with a smooth cream-yellow rind and seeds gathered in a central cavity you scoop out.
Both are low in calories and wonderfully hydrating. Red, watery, seeds everywhere is watermelon; pale-green, dense-sweet, seeds in the middle is honeydew.
Frequently asked questions
Are watermelon and honeydew the same kind of melon?
No. Honeydew is a 'true' melon — a variety of Cucumis melo, like cantaloupe — with seeds packed in a central hollow. Watermelon is a different species, Citrullus lanatus, with seeds scattered through the flesh. They only share the 'melon' name and a love of hot summers.
Which is sweeter, watermelon or honeydew?
Honeydew is usually a little sweeter and denser, with a syrupy, almost floral sweetness. Watermelon tastes lighter and more purely refreshing because its flesh is over 90% water, which dilutes the sugar into a crisp, thirst-quenching bite.
Which has fewer calories?
Both are low, but watermelon is slightly lower, at around 30 kcal per 100 g versus honeydew's mid-30s. The difference is small; both are among the lightest, most hydrating fruits you can eat.