Dragon fruit

What Is Dragon Fruit?

Dragon fruit is also called pitahaya or pitaya. It is the fruit of plants in the cactus family. The main kind is Selenicereus undatus. It first grew in the southern parts of Mexico and along the Pacific coast of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. In the 21st century, it has also been grown in places like Vietnam, China, Colombia, and Southeast Asia.

A Special Cactus

The dragon fruit plant is a cactus that can go a long time without rain. This is called drought resistance. Its long stems have three sides, and they can climb 8 to 10 metres (26 to 33 ft). Its flower opens only once, at night. Animals like bats and moths help it grow fruit by carrying pollen between flowers.

The Fruit and Its Colours

The fruit is oval-shaped and about the size of your hand. Inside, it is green before it ripens. Later it turns yellow or red. Small black seeds fill the soft inside. Some dragon fruits get their red and purple colour from betanin. This same colour is in beets, Swiss chard, and amaranth.

There are three main kinds. Selenicereus costaricensis has red skin and red inside. Selenicereus megalanthus has yellow skin and is often called "yellow dragon fruit." The most common kind has pink skin and white inside. Long ago, some fruits brought from Colombia to Australia had different names.

Eating and Growing

Dragon fruit is mostly water. It gives food energy and has some carbohydrates, but very little protein and fat. When cut in half, it can be eaten with a spoon. Its juice can add colour to drinks. The flowers can even be eaten as a vegetable or made into tea.

Seeds can grow in compost or soil, even in pots indoors. Young cacti pop up in about two weeks.