Bailan melon

The Bailan melon is a locally famous melon grown near Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu province in the People's Republic of China.[1] It is a variety of honeydew melon, globose to subglobose and typically has white skin with sweet, white or pale green, flesh.[2] In photographs, the melons appear light yellow, orange or white, with a light green or apricot yellow flesh, which makes it similar in appearance to other types in the cultivar group of the muskmelon. It is also heavy due to the density of the fruit's inner flesh.[3] Like other types of honeydews, the Bailan melon is rich in Vitamin C and protein.[3]

Honeydew melon - reportedly similar in appearance to Bailan melon

According to Chinese sources, the melons were introduced to China by Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States, who donated melon seeds to the locals while visiting in the 1940s.[4] Wallace had a background in agriculture and had founded a major seed company, Pioneer Hi-Bred. This is the reason the Chinese sometimes refer to the melon as the Hualaishi (an adaptation of the name "Wallace").[2]

References
  1. "China Specialty & Snack". Specialty & Snack. 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
  2. Lim, T.K. (2012). Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 2, Fruits. Dordrecht: Springer. p. 214. ISBN 9789400717633.
  3. USA, Best Nutrition Products Inc. Hayward, CA. "The honeydew melon is almost perfectly round with a smooth, waxy white skin, Dr.Abhay Kumar Pati USA". PRLog. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
  4. Zhao, Rongguang (2015). A History of Food Culture in China. New York: SCPG Publishing Corporation. p. 110. ISBN 9781938368271.


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