It has a blotched green peel after which it is named in Spanish (piel de sapo translates as "toad skin").

The ripest Santa Claus melon will have soft blossom ends that yield to gentle pressure and a vibrant yellow hue.

The Piel de Sapo originated in Spain where it is widely grown with about 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) cultivated annually.

The most popular cultivar in the last 10 years in the main producing region of Spain (La Mancha) has been 'Sancho', a hybrid bred by the seedhouse Syngenta.

Many open-pollinated cultivars were grown in Spain until recently, but hybrids have replaced them almost entirely, as they offer to the growers higher yields and better resistance to disease.