This article’s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. For the city in Thailand, see Pattaya. For Thai weightlifter, see Pitaya Tibnoke. These fruits are commonly known in English as “dragon fruit”, tunas fruta name used since 1963, apparently resulting from the leather-like skin and prominent scaly spikes on the fruit exterior.

Pitahaya or dragon fruit is native to the region of southern Mexico and along the Pacific coasts of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. They are more sour and refreshing, with juicier flesh and a stronger taste. Sonoran Desert has been an important food source for indigenous peoples of the Americas. The fruit of related species, such as S.

It has a more tart taste than Selenicereus fruit, described as somewhat reminiscent of watermelon. This is the most commonly seen “dragon fruit”. After a thorough cleaning of the seeds from the pulp of the fruit, the seeds may be stored when dried. The ideal fruit is unblemished and overripe. Pitaya cacti usually germinate after between 11 and 14 days after shallow planting.

As they are cacti, overwatering is a concern for home growers. As their growth continues, these climbing plants will find something to climb on, which can involve putting aerial roots down from the branches in addition to the basal roots. Once the plant reaches a mature 4. Pitaya flowers bloom overnight and usually wilt by the evening. They rely on nocturnal pollinators such as bats or moths for fertilization. 11, but may survive outdoors in zone 9a or 9b.