A muskmelon is a type of sweet, juicy fruit with a netted or ribbed rind and orange, green, or white flesh inside. The most common muskmelon you'll see at the grocery store is the cantaloupe, with its tan, web-patterned skin and bright orange interior.

The name comes from the musky, sweet smell these melons give off when ripe. If you've ever walked past a bin of cantaloupes at the store and caught that distinctive sweet aroma, you've smelled what gives muskmelons their name. Farmers and shoppers use this scent as a clue: a ripe muskmelon should smell sweet at the stem end, while an unripe one has almost no smell at all.

Muskmelons grow on vines along the ground and need warm weather and plenty of sunshine. They're related to cucumbers and other squash, which explains why they grow in similar ways. Inside, the flesh is soft and sweet, with a hollow center filled with slippery seeds that you scoop out before eating.

Besides cantaloupes, other muskmelons include various specialty melons with different shapes, colors, and flavors. They're refreshing snacks on hot summer days and work great in fruit salads or eaten plain with a spoon.