Dragon Fruit!
What is the “dragon fruit” (Wikipedia article) or pitahaya/pitaya?
I first read about this exotic fruit in Ohio University’s library, about 1990. While in Taiwan for a couple months in 1995, I was delighted to see what looked like this fruit on “night market” stands on the street, along with other fruits I had only read about, such as lychee and mangosteen. The piles of fruit (which my Taiwanese friend called the “fire dragon fruit”) I saw were kind of a “hot” maroon/fuchsia color, with bright, triangular yellow scales. Of course I bought some. Turned out the flavor was kind of bland (which might have been the variety or growing conditions), but my fascination for the fruit grew regardless.
Many others are becoming fascinated, or even obsessed with this strange fruit. What is it about the pitahaya? Maybe the vibrant color of the fruit. Maybe the fascination of eating fruit from “jungle cactus”. The cactus plant itself is a real novelty. While in the wild, tropical forests (even in Florida), it vines through tree tops, with it’s 3 or more ribbed stems, pitahaya farmers will prune/train them into what looks like an alien, miniature tree.
 Whole Dragon Fruit |
 Dragon Fruit, Cut (white-fleshed) |
 Red-Fleshed Dragon Fruit |
 Yellow, “strawberry-pear” Selenicereus megalanthus Species |