Yubari King

Cucumis melo 'Yubari King'

Section of a fresh Yūbari King melon
Details
Species C. melo
Genus Cucumis
Hybrid parentage Cucumis melo
Earl's Favourite × Burpee's "Spicy" Cantaloupe
Cultivar 'Yubari King'
Origin Yūbari, Hokkaidō, Japan

The Yubari King (夕張メロン?) is a cantaloupe cultivar farmed in greenhouses in Yūbari, Hokkaidō, a small town close to Sapporo. The Yubari King is a hybrid of two other cantaloupe cultivars: Earl's Favourite and Burpee's "Spicy" Cantaloupe. This hybrid's scientific name is Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus Naud. cv. Yubari King.

Some Japanese people present Yubari King melons as gifts during Chūgen. A top-grade melon is to be perfectly round and have an exceptionally smooth rind. A portion of the stem, which is snipped with scissors, is left on top for aesthetic appeal.[1]

At a Japanese auction in 2008, two Yubari King melons sold together for ¥2.5 million.[2] In 2007, the top price paid for a pair of Yubari King melons was ¥2 million.[1][2]

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