Pitaya

These fruits are commonly known in English as strawberry pear or dragon fruit, a name used since 1963, apparently resulting from the leather-like skin and prominent scaly spikes on the fruit exterior. The fruit is often designated as "Vietnamese dragon fruit" as Vietnam is the lead exporter. The fruit may also be known as a strawberry pear. The names and derive from Mexico, and in Central America and northern South America, possibly relating to pitahaya for names of tall cacti species with flowering fruit. == Geography ==

|alt=Juice being sold in Thailand Pitaya is native to the region of southern Mexico and along the Pacific coasts of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. The dragon fruit is cultivated in East Asia, South Asia (see dragon fruit farming in India), Southeast Asia, the United States, the Caribbean, Australia, and throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. == Varieties ==

Stenocereus Stenocereus fruit (sour pitaya; pitaya agria, S. gummosus) is from a cactus variety having its origin in Baja California. The fruit is commonly harvested in arid regions of the Americas and preferred for its sour, juicy flesh and taste. Dragon fruit, Selenicereus Sweet pitayas come in three types, all with leathery, slightly leafy skin: Early imports from Colombia to Australia were designated "Hylocereus ocampensis" (or "Cereus repandus", the red fruit) and "Cereus triangularis" (supposedly, the yellow fruit or the three-sided cross-section of the stem). Pulp pigmentation The pulp of red pitaya contains the red pigment, betalain (also called betacyanin), whereas the white variety is absent of this color compound. Polyphenol content is also higher in red than in white pitaya. == Cultivation ==

, Fujian, China 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. Seeds grow well in a compost or potting soil mix – even as a potted indoor plant. 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 in weight, the plant may flower. Commercial plantings can be done at high density with between . Plants can take up to 60 months (260 weeks) to come into full commercial production, at which stage yields of can be expected. Pitaya flowers bloom overnight and usually wilt by the evening. They rely on nocturnal pollinators such as bats or moths for fertilization. Self-fertilization will not produce fruit in some species and while crossbreeding has resulted in several "self-fertile" varieties, cross-pollinating with a second, genetically distinct plant of the same species generally increases fruit set and quality. This limits the capability of home growers to produce the fruit. However, the plants can flower between three and six times per year depending on growing conditions. Like other cacti, if a healthy piece of the stem is broken off, it may take root in the soil and become its own plant. The plants can endure temperatures up to and short periods of frost but will not survive long exposure to freezing temperatures. The cacti thrive most in USDA zones 10–11 but may survive outdoors in zone 9a or 9b. Selenicereus has adapted to live in dry tropical climates with a moderate amount of rain. In numerous regions, it has escaped cultivation to become a weed and is classified as an invasive weed in some countries. The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris causes the stems to rot. Dothiorella fungi can cause brown spots on the fruit. Other fungi known to infect pitaya include Botryosphaeria dothidea, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Bipolaris cactivora. == Uses ==

Culinary The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit because of its black, crunchy seeds. The seed oil contains linoleic acid. Dragon fruit is used to flavor and color juices and alcoholic beverages, such as "Dragon's Blood Punch" and the "Dragotini". The flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea. The red and purple colors of some Selenicereus fruits are due to betacyanins, a family of pigments that includes betanin, the same substance that gives beets, Swiss chard, and amaranth their red color. ==Nutrition==

Raw pitaya is 84% water, 15% carbohydrates, and contains negligible protein and fat (table). In a reference amount of , pitaya provides of food energy, with no micronutrients in significant content (table). Seed oils The fatty acid compositions of the seed oils of Selenicereus costaricensis, syn. Hylocereus costaricensis (red-fleshed pitaya) and Selenicereus undatus, syn. Hylocereus undatus (white-fleshed pitaya) were similar: myristic acid (negligible), palmitic acid (17%), stearic acid (5%), palmitoleic acid (about 1%), oleic acid (22%), cis-vaccenic acid (3%), linoleic acid (50%), and α-linolenic acid (1%). == Gallery ==

File:Dragonfruit tree.jpg|Pitaya "tree" File:Naozhou - P1570863 - dragon fruit.JPG|Plantation in Naozhou Island File:Hylocereus undatus in bloom in Kona.jpg|Nocturnal flowering File:Yellow dragon fruit (50831s).jpg|Yellow S. megalanthus File:Hylocereus polyrhizus.jpg|Red S. costaricensis File:Jus buah naga.jpg|Jus buah naga, purple pitaya juice, Indonesia File:Pitaya Colors.jpg|Red, yellow and white fruits File:MAPElNorte025.JPG|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 File:Dragon fruit (Pitaya).jpg|Dissected pitaya == See also ==