The Jubilee watermelon is a popular, large-fruited variety recognized for its sweet flavor and distinctive striped rind pattern. Gardeners are often drawn to its classic appearance, which evokes the traditional “picnic” watermelon. Since the seed market offers both modern hybrids and older cultivars, confusion can arise regarding its genetic status. This article clarifies the classification of the Jubilee watermelon, providing the genetic and historical context necessary to understand its place in modern horticulture.
Understanding Hybrid Versus Open Pollinated
Cultivated plants are generally categorized into two groups based on how their seeds reproduce the parent plant: F1 hybrid and open-pollinated. F1 hybrid varieties result from a deliberate, controlled cross-pollination between two distinct, inbred parent lines selected by plant breeders. This crossing aims to combine desirable traits, often resulting in plants that exhibit superior vigor, uniformity, and disease resistance. The “F1” designation means seeds saved from this plant will not produce offspring that look or perform the same as the parent.
Open-pollinated, or OP, varieties are pollinated naturally by insects, wind, birds, or other mechanisms without human control. Unlike F1 hybrids, OP varieties are genetically stable, meaning their seeds can be reliably saved and replanted year after year to produce offspring that are “true to type.” This stability allows for the long-term preservation of the variety’s specific characteristics, making them favored by seed savers. Their core traits remain consistent across generations, despite minor variations due to greater genetic diversity.
The History and Classification of Jubilee Watermelon
The Jubilee watermelon is definitively classified as an Open-Pollinated variety, not a modern F1 hybrid. This cultivar was developed and released by the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station in 1963, representing a significant achievement in American watermelon breeding. The variety was created to possess resistance to both Fusarium wilt and anthracnose, two common diseases that challenge cultivation, while maintaining excellent flavor and size.
Its development involved careful, selective breeding over multiple generations to stabilize the desired traits, allowing the variety to breed true from its own seed. The plant pathologist responsible for the original Jubilee was Dr. J. M. Crall. This successful stabilization means that the genetic blueprint of the Jubilee is not reliant on a yearly cross of two parent lines.
Physical Traits and Growing Considerations
The Jubilee watermelon produces very large, elongated fruit, often weighing between 25 and 40 pounds at full maturity. The rind is medium thickness and displays a distinct pattern of light green skin with prominent, dark green stripes, sometimes described as a “rattlesnake” pattern. Inside, the flesh is crisp, sweet, bright red or reddish-pink, with a fine texture and large, stippled black seeds.
The Open-Pollinated status offers a distinct advantage to home gardeners and small-scale farmers who wish to practice seed saving. Since the variety is stable, seeds collected from a ripe Jubilee melon can be dried and planted the following season to produce the same high-quality fruit. These melons require a long growing season, typically needing 85 to 95 days from planting to harvest. Jubilee thrives in full sun and requires warm soil temperatures, exhibiting adaptability and resistance to common fungal diseases.