| Gaya melon | |
| Genus: | Cucumis |
| Species: | Cucumis melo |
| Cultivar: | 'Gaya' |
| Origin: | Japan Korea |
The Gaya melon, also known as the ivory gaya, snowball, sweet snowball, ghost, dino(saur), dino(saur) egg, snow leopard, matice, matisse, sugar baby, and silver star melons, is a small to medium-sized honeydew cultivar developed originally in Japan and Korea and now grown in China, Mexico, southern California, and South America.[1]
The rind is very thin and is ivory in color with green streaking and the interior flesh is white.[2] They are round in shape and may be slightly oblong. The flesh is juicy and soft towards the center but crispier towards the rind. It has been described to have a mild, sweet flavor with floral notes. It is best kept at room temperature and cut melons will stay good in a refrigerator for up to 5 days.[1]
It is available from late spring to early summer and is available at various farmers' markets and Asian markets in California and is sought after because of its unique coloring.[3] It is also available at supermarkets in Australia, among other countries.