Charleston Gray

Charleston Gray is a landmark oblong watermelon released in 1954 by the USDA breeding program in Charleston, South Carolina, led by C. F. Andrus. It was bred specifically for disease resistance and long-distance shipping, and it became the standard commercial watermelon of its era. The elongated fruit has a distinctive gray-green rind and sweet, fibreless red flesh. Charleston Gray introduced strong resistance to fusarium wilt and anthracnose and tolerance to sunburn thanks to its tough rind. Though many hybrids have followed, it remains an important open-pollinated heirloom valued by home gardeners and by breeders as a source of disease resistance genetics.