The Rarest Watermelon Could Cost You Thousands

Watermelon is truly a fruit like no other. It's sweet, juicy, crisp, and extremely refreshing, especially on a hot midsummer's day. If we ask you to envision a classic watermelon, you can probably imagine a spongy, subtly crunchy, pinkish-red flesh encased in a thick rind of varying green hues. Some watermelons contain small black seeds while others are harvested to be seedless. Whatever your ideal watermelon may look or taste like, you're likely to experience a strong sense of nostalgia in each bite.

The truth is, though, not every watermelon is created equally. In fact, according to the Watermelon Board, over 300 types of watermelon are grown throughout the U.S. and South America. Typically, you can snag a watermelon for a reasonable price at your local grocery store when they're in season. But there is one particular species of watermelon that historically costs a pretty penny. Behold, the Densuke black watermelon. Here's what to expect if you ever get the opportunity to sink your teeth into one of these rare gems.

The Densuke black watermelon is aptly named, as it possesses a lustrous, smooth, dark green, nearly black rind. As Restaurant Clicks explains, Densuke black watermelons are cultivated on Hokkaido, the second largest and northernmost Japanese island. As it turns out, their notoriously extravagant price point has a lot to do with the fact that they require a long growth period in addition to plenty of space to flourish. According to Oddity Central, fewer than 100 of these watermelons are grown to maturity on Hokkaido annually, which further increases their value. The Garden Magazine shares that Densuke watermelons are even sweeter than the watermelons many of us know and love.

The catch? These dusk-colored watermelons are only sold at exclusive auctions. In other words, they cannot be found in any market around the world, per Oddity Central. So, just how much are one of the precious melons worth? In 2019, the winning bidder for a single Densuke watermelon spent 750,000 Japanese yen — the equivalent of $6,000 at the time. Now that's what we call a gourd that is worth its weight in gold.