Dragon fruit
A tropical plant. It grows best in dry tropical and subtropical climates. It suits the lowlands. It needs good light. It suits areas where rainfall is 500-1250 mm per year. It is best in seasonally wet and dry climates. In wet tropical zones plants may grow well but have trouble setting fruit. It needs a temperature above 13°C to grow. It can tolerate temperatures to 40°C and light frosts. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.
Also known as:
Chacam, Chak-wob, Flor de caliz, Junco tapatio, Mugatta, Night blooming cereus, Pitahaya, Pitaia-branca, Pitaia-vermelha, Pitaya orejona, Pitaya, Pratiel puehs, Queen of the night, Reina de la noche, Strawberry pear, Tasajo, Thanhlong, Thang loy, Tuonglien, Utchimamarunthu, Zacamb
Synonyms
- Cereus undatus Haw.
- Cereus trigonus var. guatemalensis Weing.
- Cereus tricostatus Rol.-Gosselin
- Hylocereus tricostatus (Gosselin) Britton & Rose
- Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton
- and others
Edible Portion
- Fruit, Seeds, Flowers, Vegetable, Stems
Where does Dragon fruit grow?
Found in: Africa, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Cambodia, Central America, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Hawaii, Indochina, Israel, Jamaica, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nauru, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, North America, Pacific, Puerto Rico, Reunion, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Taiwan, Tunisia, Tuvalu, United States, Vietnam, West Indies
Notes: There are 18-24 Hylocereus species. Fruit are high in folates 36μg/100.
Status: It is widely cultivated. The fruit are widely sold in markets. The dried flowers are sold in Chinese shops in Australia.
Growing Dragon fruit
Cultivation: Plants can be grown by seed or stem cuttings. The cuttings are usually dried out for a week or two. The plants are self sterile and have to be pollinated by bats and moths. Hand pollination is recommended for good fruit production.
Edible Uses: The fruit is eaten fresh. It is also used for drinks. A syrup of the fruit is used to colour pastries and candy. The unopened flower buds are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are used in soups. The young tender stems with leaves are plucked and eaten as a vegetable.
Production: They can have 4-6 fruiting cycles per year. The fruit weigh 300-800 g.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | - | 0.5 | 0.4 | - | 25 | - | 89.4 |
Dragon fruit Photos
References
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