Dragon fruit
Pitaya fruit, otherwise known as phitaya or dragon fruit, is a fruit from Central America, South America, and Asia. It has a sweet taste, a specific shape and color, and a texture close to a kiwi. It contains a lot of water and important minerals and nutrients.[1]
Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus Sternoceus, while pitahaya or dragon fruit refers to fruit of the genus Selenicereus (formerly Hylocereus). They are both in the family Cactaceae.[2] The common name in English—dragon fruit—derives from the leather skin and scaly spikes on the outside of the fruit. Depending on the variety, pitaya fruits may have sweet or sour-tasting flesh that can be red, white, or yellow in color.
It is known as “pitaya” if it comes from the very closely related Stenographers genus. The actual dragon fruit is the fruit of the cactus genus Hylocereus.[3]
Occurrence
[change | change source]Occuring in Mexico, South America, as well as Central America, it is possible it was introduced during the 1800s to Southeast Asian nations in Vietnam. This includes trade with the French, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, where it is an important part of their diet.[source?]
As of 2024, the countries where most of these are grown commercially for their fruit are Nicaragua, the People's Republic of China, Vietnam, and Israel.
Yellow pitaya
[change | change source]The yellow dragon fruit has yellow skin and white flesh. It has the highest sugar content among dragon fruits.[4] In Chinese, it is called "giraffe family" and is usually found in Hong Kong. The ripe ones have a sweet taste like sugar.
Gallery
[change | change source]
Pitaya "tree"
Plantation in Naozhou Island
Flowering, at night
Yellow S. megalanthus
Red S. costaricensis
Jus buah naga, purple pitaya juice, Indonesia
Red, yellow and white fruits
Dress for a folk dance called Flor de Pitahaya "Pitahaya Flower" from Baja California Sur displayed at the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City
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References
[change | change source]- ↑ "What Are the Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit?". Verywell Fit. Archived from the original on 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ Janick, Jules; Paull, Robert E., eds. (2008). "C". The Encyclopedia of Fruit and Nuts. Cambridge, United Kingdom: CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International). pp. 215–216, 222–226. ISBN 978-0-85199-638-7.
- ↑ Janick, Jules; Paull, Robert E. (2008). The Encyclopedia of Fruit and Nuts. CABI. ISBN 978-0-85199-638-7.
- ↑ Emoha (2022-04-26). "Yellow Dragon Fruit – Nature's Boon For Seniors". Emoha Blogs. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
https://www.producebluebook.com/know-your-commodity/dragon-fruit/
