When Is Dragon Fruit Ripe?
The dragon fruit plant (Hylocereus undatus), also known as pitaya, is a climbing cactus related to the night blooming cereus cactus, which doesn't fruit. The dragon fruit plant has red or white flesh, depending on variety. Its name comes from its dragon "fins." Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
When Is It ripe?
-
The dragon fruit cactus is also a night bloomer. The peak of ripeness for dragon fruit is about 30 to 50 days after flowering. As it ripens, the red variety turns from green to red; pick it about four days after the color changes. If it's too blotchy, it's probably overripe; if it's too firm, it's not ready. Dragon fruit, unlike bananas, do not continue ripening after being picked, but they're sweeter a few days after picking.
After It's Ripe
-
Slice it and eat it. You can eat dragon fruit fresh, though it's better to let it sit a few days. Just cut it in half and enjoy, or use it in a salad or as preserves. You can refrigerate dragon fruit -- it's even better chilled -- and you can sprinkle it with lemon juice. Dragon fruit keeps for about two weeks -- if cool enough. Both the seeds and flesh are edible.
-
Culture
-
Dragon fruit with its 'fins" Since dragon fruit is a climber, it usually needs support. The red dragon fruit is not self-fertile, but the white one is. The plants can fruit most of the year, if conditions are right. There also is a yellow dragon fruit, but it's Selenicereus megalanthus, a different genus.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Pile of exotic dragon fruit at Asian market image by nextrecord from Fotolia.com Night Blooming Cactus at Dawn image by Richard Haworth from Fotolia.com dragon fruit slices image by Wolfgang Kraus from Fotolia.com dragon fruit image by Daniel Wiedemann from Fotolia.com
