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Pitahaya or the commonly called Dragonfruit is very popular in Asia, Central and South America and is now becoming popular in the North America. It is grown in different types of cactus, it has a fragrant flower and a very exotic looking fruit. The color ranges from pink to red with green and yellow spikes.

There are three types of dragonfruit. The Pitaya Blanca has red skin with white flesh. The Pitaya Roja has red skin with red flesh. And the Pitaya Amarilla which has yellow skin and white flesh.

How To Eat The Raw Dragonfruit?

Cut the fruit in half then scoop the flesh. The seeds are eaten along with the flesh. The flesh has a mild sweet taste while the seeds have a nutty taste. The red-fleshed dragonfruit is considered the most delicious but consumption of it results to reddish urine and feces.

Dragonfruit Health Benefits

Dragonfruit is very nutritious. It's good for dental health and it works as well for cough and asthma. It contains nutrients that assist in the regulation of blood pressure and blood sugar. It also has little to no amount of unhealthy cholesterol. Dragonfruit has antioxidants that helps prevent free radicals which causes cancer.

It has vitamins that improve eyesight. It's a high source of Vitamin C that helps boost the immune system. It provides Vitamin B1 B2 B3 that increase energy level, helps metabolize food and may even improve the quality of the skin.

It's fiber enriched that helps boost the digestive system. It contains almost 1g of fiber per 100g of fresh dragonfruit. But expect 10g of fiber or more per 100g of dried dragonfruit. Dried fruit contains more fiber because fresh fruit has a lot of water in it.

And since there are a lot of seeds in the flesh that is impossible to remove when we eat, dragonfruit contains fats which are the healthy mono-unsaturated fats. The seeds provides essential fatty acids and protein.

Important Things To Remember For The Cultivation of Dragonfruit

Soil. Dragonfruit can thrive in poor soil condition. The best soil condition will be 10-30% sandy.

Water. It needs an annual rainfall of up to 1500mm. But overwatering can spoil the flowers and fruit. Drainage system is very important. And if the soil is excessively dry it causes the fruit to split.

Temperature. The best temperature ranges from 20-30 degrees Celsius but the plant can handle up to 40 degrees Celsius. Dragonfruit needs sunlight but over exposure is not suitable. And it cannot survive freezing temperatures.

Climate. Dragonfruit can live in tropical climate with dry and wet climatic condition.

Planting by cuttings. This is the most common method wherein you plant cuttings from the branches. Plant only 3-4 stems per post.

Planting by seedlings. Since this takes a long period of time to process, it's not yet available.

Fertilizer. Dragonfruit requires organic matter. You can apply fertilizer three months after planting. The frequency of application depends on your personal judgment and on the response of the plant.

Pests. Includes rodents like bats, mice and birds, and insects like beatles, fruit flies, mites and ants. There are inseticides and fungicides available in stores.

Harvest. It takes 30-50 days after flowering for the harvest. Harvested fruits must be stored at relatively humid temperature for up to 40 days. The fruit weighs about 200-600g, some reaches about a kilo.

Nowadays, a lot of people especially in the provinces have dragonfruit in their garden. Dragonfruit farms are finding ways of preserving the fruit. It is made into juice, wine, jam and flavour for beverages and ice cream.