Are Square Watermelons Real?

Square watermelons are commonly sold in Japan where they are essentially ornamental and are often very expensive, with prices as high as $200.

How Are They Grown?

Square watermelons aren’t a new fruit variety. They’re regular watermelons grown in a box.

Farmers place young melons into clear, cube-shaped containers while they’re still small. As the fruit grows, it presses against the sides of the mold and takes on a perfect square shape.

The trick is timing. The watermelon must stay in the box long enough to form clean edges, but not so long that it fully ripens. In fact, most square watermelons are picked before they’re ripe, which helps them hold their shape, but makes them nearly inedible.

So why go to all this effort? Presentation. A cube-shaped watermelon stacks easily, ships well, and looks amazing on display. In Japan, where presentation is everything, these boxed melons are often sold as luxurious gifts, like a fruit version of fine wine or designer chocolate.

Even more amazing? Farmers have also grown heart-shaped and pyramid-shaped watermelons using similar molds. It's a mix of farming and sculpture.