Watermelon Varieties You Will Want To Know and Grow in 2024

By Carol Miller|Updated: January 23, 2024

Amazo (BASF | Nunhems)

Disease package: IR: FON (1) New! Nunhems ‘Amazo (NUN 32126)’ is a Crimson Sweet seedless, regular watermelon. It can produce medium, dark-rind fruits, mostly in the 45-count size profile. Its bright-red flesh and excellent firmness enable growers various market possibilities. Distributed through Stokes Seeds, Inc., Clifton Seed Company, Gowan Seed Company. Matures in 89 days. https://www.nunhems.com/us/en/Varieties/WMW_watermelon.html

Cal Sweet Bush (Seeds by Design)

‘Cal Sweet Bush’ is a 2019 Regional AAS winner. It’s a personal-size watermelon that has bright-red flesh. An eye-catcher at fresh market! Average weight: 5 to 7 pounds. Matures in 90 days. https://www.seedsbydesign.com/seed/Watermelon-Open-Pollinated-Cal-Sweet-Bush

Century Star (Johnny's Selected Seeds)

‘Century Star’ is a seedless Moon and Stars variety with uniform fruit size, great flavor, and heavy yields. A yellow star pattern accents the dark-green rind color. Fruits are round with red flesh. ‘Century Star’ is widely adapted and an excellent choice for northern climates. An AAS Regional Award winner (Great Lakes). Average weight: 10 pounds. Matures in 80 days. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/watermelons/triploid-watermelons-seedless/century-star-f1-watermelon-seed-4468.html

Co-Pilot (SEEDWAY, LLC)

‘Co-Pilot’ has a sprawling vine with heavy flowering. It has early and extended flowering duration. Pollen in the flowers is very fertile over a wide range of growing conditions. This watermelon has light-red flesh and a solid, light-green rind. Average weight: 3 to 6 pounds Disease package: IR: Fon (1), Co (1) https://www.seedway.com/product/co-pilot-pollinator-treated-seed/

Crackerjack (Enza Zaden | Seedway)

‘Cracker Jack’ is a seedless crimson with a very strong vine that has continuous fruit setting ability. It produces fruit that are blocky and oval. The uniform fruit have a firm flesh with a very deep-red, internal color. It’s recognized for its outstanding yields, sweetness, and flavor (with a dark red interior and small pips). Average weight: 15 to 18 pounds. Matures early in 81 to 84 days. Disease package: IR: Fon (1) Co (1a) https://www.enzazaden.com/us/products-and-services/our-products/watermelon/Cracker%20Jack

El Capitan (Sakata Seed America)

‘El Capitan’ is a new triploid watermelon with an attractive, darker, ‘Crimson Sweet’ rind pattern. Deep-red, firm flesh, small pip size, and excellent flavor. A wonderful yield potential, extended shipping, and field holding ability. Uniform, blocky-shaped fruit on vigorous vines. This hybrid produces 36 and 45 counts, and weight is 16 to 20 pounds. Grows well in the Midwest and Northeast. Matures in 87 days.  Disease package: HR: Fon: (0, 1) https://sakatavegetables.com/vegetable/watermelon/watermelon-triploid/el-capitan/ 

Exceed (Hazera Seeds)

A personal crimson that matures in 83 days. Disease package: PMR https://us.hazera.com/crops/exceed/

Jet Ski (Seminis)

‘Jet Ski’ is an early, seedless, triploid, mottle-stripe watermelon. It has a high average degrees Brix and has shown excellent quality with deep-red interior color. A very uniform shape and size with low incidence of hollow heart. A potential for high percent of 45-count size. Matures in 78 days. Disease package: IR: Fon (1) https://www.vegetables.bayer.com/ca/en-ca/products/watermelon/details.html/watermelon_jet_ski_usa_seminis_all_open_field_fresh_market_southeast.html

Jubilee (Seeds by Design)

‘Jubilee’ is a sweet, red-fleshed watermelon. It has a fine-textured, tough rind with greenish white, with dark-green stripes. Perfect for the fresh market. Matures in 85 to 95 days. https://www.seedsbydesign.com/seed/Watermelon-Op-Jubilee

Miramonte (Sakata Seed America | Clifton Seed Company )

‘Miramonte’ has shown excellent yield potential for growers. It features numerous consumer benefits including a deep-red color, firm flesh, small pip size, and excellent flavor. A mid-late maturing, seedless variety. Disease package: HR: Fon (0, 1) SakataVegetables.com; CliftonSeed.com

NatsuCocoa (Johnny's Selected Seeds)

‘Natsu Cocoa’ is a delicious, personal-size, seeded watermelon. It is early maturing, but its strong vines enable high yields over a long harvest period. The fruits have excellent cracking tolerance and are 8-counts. ‘Natsu Cocoa’ features a dark, tiger-strip rind pattern and crisp-red flesh. An excellent mini-diploid for fresh market and CSA boxes. Average weight: 3 to 5 pounds. Matures in 65 days. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/watermelons/diploid-watermelons/natsu-cocoa-f1-watermelon-seed-4359.html

Onza (Hazera)

‘Onza’ is a personal tiger-stripe watermelon. Matures in 82 days. Disease package: PMR https://us.hazera.com/crops/onza/

Prelita - NUN 32005 (BASF | Nunhems)

NEW! ‘Prelita (NUN 32005)’, was developed by Nunhems to offer a great combination of early maturity, excellent internal quality and high uniformity. ‘Prelita’ is a personal-size crimson watermelon that has shown to be productive and grower friendly. Distributed through Stokes Seeds, Inc., Clifton Seed Company, Gowan Seed Company. Matures in 78. Disease package: IR: FON (1) https://www.nunhems.com/us/en/Varieties/WMW_watermelon.html

Red Garnet (Enza Zaden | Gowan Seed Company)

‘Red Garnet’ has consistently shown outstanding seeding vigor producing stout transplants, in the greenhouse and in the field. This hybrid produces a strong aggressive vine that provides excellent fruit coverage and sun protection. ‘Red Garnet’ is a dark-green, striped seedless crimson with oval fruit and deep-red flesh. It shows wide adaptability in commercial fields throughout most North American production areas. It’s excellent for 45-count bin shipping. Average weight: 16 to 20 pounds. Matures in 81 to 84 days. A Gowan Exclusive. Disease package: IR: Fon (0, 1), Co (1) https://www.enzazaden.com/us/products-and-services/our-products/Red%20Garnet

Summerlicious (Syngenta Vegetable Seeds | Stokes Seeds Inc.)

A uniform Crimson Sweet triploid featuring improved fruit holding ability in the field. ‘Summerlicious’ has a high percentage of 36- and 45‐count fruit. It has firm flesh and nice internal color. Matures in 89 days. Disease package: IR: Co (1), Fon (1), Px (1) https://us.stokeseeds.com/hybridwatermelon-summerlicous-0990228e.html

SuperSeedless 7197HQ (BASF | Nunhems, Gowan Seed Company)

‘7197HQ’ is a hybrid watermelon with excellent internal and external quality. It’s a slightly earlier maturing variety, with a strong plant and extended harvest for high yield potential. Average weight: 16 to 20 pounds. Matures in 87 days. https://www.nunhems.com/us/en.html

Sweet Dawn (Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, Rupp Seeds)

‘Sweet Dawn’ is an early triploid (seedless) that produces consistently high yields, offering growers significant first-to-market advantages. The firm and sweet flesh are ideal for retail markets. Matures in 76 days. https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/watermelons/triploid-seedless/sweet-dawn

Valor (Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, Stokes Seeds Inc.)

‘Valor’ is a dynamic early-maturing Crimson Sweet triploid. It has good disease resistance, high fruit sets, and excellent, firm, deep-red flesh. It produces mostly 36 and 45-count fruit. Matures in 79 days. Disease package: IR: Co (1), Fon (1) https://us.stokeseeds.com/hybridwatermelon-valor-0990234e.html

Virtue (Syngenta Vegetable Seeds | Rupp Seeds)

‘Virtue’ is an early season triploid (seedless) that prospers in cool conditions. Matures in 85 days. https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/watermelons/triploid-seedless

Watermelon is a juicy treat, no matter what time of year. For those who grow the cucurbit crop, there are plenty of watermelon varieties to choose from. But which is the best fit for your farm?

Scan the photo gallery above for several fresh choices from leading seed breeders and distributors.

Disease Abbreviation Key:

A – Anthracnose

B – Bacterial wilt

Co – Anthracnose caused by Collectotrichum orbiculare

F – Fusarium wilt

Foc – Fusarium caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.congutinans

Fon – Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum

HR – High resistance

IR – Intermediate resistance

PM – Powdery mildew

Px – Powdery mildew caused by Podosphaeria xanthii (ex, Sphaerotheca fuliginea)