Pitaya () or pitahaya () (common names strawberry pear or dragon fruit) is the

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

of several

cactus A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

species indigenous to the region of southern

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and along the Pacific coasts of

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

, and

El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...

. Pitaya is cultivated in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the United States, the Caribbean, Australia, Brazil, and throughout tropical and

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

regions of the world. ''Pitaya'' usually refers to fruit of the genus ''

Stenocereus ''Stenocereus'' () is a genus of columnar or tree-like cactus, cacti from the Baja California Peninsula and other parts of Mexico, Arizona in the United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela and the West Indies. The genus has been en ...

'', while ''pitahaya'' or ''dragon fruit'' refers to fruit of the genus '' Selenicereus'' (formerly ''Hylocereus''), both in the family Cactaceae. The common name in English derives from the leather-like

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

and scaly spikes on the fruit exterior, resembling

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

skin. Depending on the variety, pitaya fruits may have sweet- or sour-tasting flesh that can be red, white, or yellow in color.

Vernacular names

These fruits are commonly known in English as strawberry pear or dragon fruit, a name used since 1963, apparently resulting from the leather-like

and prominent scaly spikes on the fruit exterior. The fruit is often designated as "Vietnamese dragon fruit" as

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

is the lead exporter. The fruit may also be known as a ''strawberry pear''. The names ''pitahaya'' and ''pitaya'' derive from Mexico, and ''pitaya roja'' in Central America and northern South America, possibly relating to pitahaya for names of tall cacti species with flowering fruit.

Geography

Pitaya or dragon fruit is native to the region of southern Mexico and along the Pacific coasts of

, and

. It was introduced to Indochina by the French around 1860. The dragon fruit is cultivated in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the United States, the Caribbean, Australia, and throughout tropical and

regions of the world.

Varieties

''Stenocereus''

'' fruit (sour pitayas) are a variety that is commonly eaten in the arid regions of the Americas. They are more sour and refreshing, with juicier flesh and a stronger taste. The sour pitaya or ''pitaya agria'' ('' S. gummosus'') in the

Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert () is a hot desert and ecoregion in North America that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the Southwestern United States (in Arizona and California). It ...

has been an important food source for

indigenous peoples of the Americas In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...

. The

Seri people The Seri or ''Comcaac'' people are an Indigenous group of the Mexican state of Sonora. The majority reside on the Seri communal property (), in the towns of Punta Chueca () and El Desemboque () on the mainland coast of the Gulf of California ...

of northwestern Mexico still harvest the fruit, and call the plant ''ziix is ccapxl'' "thing whose fruit is sour". The fruit of related species, such as '' S. queretaroensis'' and the dagger cactus or ''pitaya de mayo'' ('' S. griseus''), are also locally important foods. The fruit of the organ pipe cactus ('' S. thurberi'', called ''ool'' by the Seris) is the ''pitaya dulce'' "sweet pitaya".

Dragon fruit, ''Selenicereus''

Sweet pitayas come in three types, all with leathery, slightly leafy skin: * '' Selenicereus undatus'' (''Pitaya blanca'' or white-fleshed pitaya, also known as ''Hylocereus undatus'') has pink-skinned fruit with white flesh. This is the most commonly seen "dragon fruit". * '' Selenicereus costaricensis'' (''Pitaya roja'' or red-fleshed pitaya, also known as ''Hylocereus costaricensis'', and possibly incorrectly as ''Hylocereus polyrhizus'') has red-skinned fruit with red flesh. * '' Selenicereus megalanthus'' (''Pitaya amarilla'' or yellow pitaya, also known as ''Hylocereus megalanthus'') has yellow-skinned fruit with white flesh. The fruit normally weighs from ; some may reach . Early imports from

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

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).

Cultivation

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 Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by Decomposition, decomposing plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and man ...

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

pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female carpel, stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are ...

s such as

bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...

s or

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

s 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 The annual growth cycle of grapevines is the process that takes place in the vineyard each year, beginning with bud break in the spring and culminating in leaf fall in autumn followed by winter dormancy. From a winemaking perspective, each step i ...

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.

Pests and diseases

Stems and fruits are susceptible to several diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, a

nematode The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...

, and a virus. Overwatering or excessive rainfall can cause the flowers to drop and fruit to rot. The

bacterium Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among the ...

'' 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 ''Glomerella cingulata'' is a fungal plant pathogen, being the name of the sexual stage ( teleomorph) while the more commonly referred to asexual stage ( anamorph) is called ''Colletotrichum gloeosporioides''. For most of this article the pathog ...

'' and '' Bipolaris cactivora''.

Uses

Culinary

The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the

kiwifruit Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi), or Chinese gooseberry, is the edible berry (botany), berry of several species of woody vines in the genus ''Actinidia''. The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, ...

because of its black, crunchy seeds. The seed oil contains the

fatty acid In chemistry, in particular in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated and unsaturated compounds#Organic chemistry, saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an ...

linoleic acid Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula . Both alkene groups () are ''cis''. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n−6) or 18:2 ''cis''-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid. Linoleic acid is a polyunsat ...

and linolenic acid. Dragon fruit is used to flavor and color

juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

s and

alcoholic beverage Drinks containing alcohol (drug), alcohol are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and Distilled beverage, spirits—with alcohol content typically between 3% and 50%. Drinks with less than 0.5% are sometimes considered Non-al ...

s, such as "Dragon's Blood Punch" and the "Dragotini". The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s can be eaten or steeped as

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

. 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

beet The beetroot (British English) or beet (North American English) is the taproot portion of a '' Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'' plant in the Conditiva Group. The plant is a root vegetable also known as the table beet, garden beet, dinner ...

s, Swiss chard, and

amaranth ''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan group of more than 50 species which make up the genus of annual plant, annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some names include "prostrate pigweed" an ...

their red color.O. P. S. Rebecca, A. N. Boyce and S. Chandran (2010)
"Pigment identification and antioxidant properties of red dragon fruit (''Hylocereus polyrhizus'')"
African Journal of Biotechnology, volume 9, issue 10, pp. 1450–54.C. S. Tang and M. H. Norziah (2007
"Stability of betacyanin pigments from red purple pitaya fruit (''Hylocereus polyrhizus''): Influence of pH, temperature, metal ions and ascorbic acid"
Indonesian Journal of Chemistry, volume 7, issue 3, pp. 327–31.

Nutrition

Raw pitaya is 84% water, 15%

carbohydrate A carbohydrate () is a biomolecule composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms. The typical hydrogen-to-oxygen atomic ratio is 2:1, analogous to that of water, and is represented by the empirical formula (where ''m'' and ''n'' ...

s, and contains negligible

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

and

fat In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specif ...

(table). In a reference amount of , pitaya provides of

food energy Food energy is chemical energy that animals and humans derive from food to sustain their metabolism and muscular activity. Most animals derive most of their energy from aerobic respiration, namely combining the carbohydrates, fats, and protein ...

, with no

micronutrient Micronutrients are essential chemicals required by organisms in small quantities to perform various biogeochemical processes and regulate physiological functions of cells and organs. By enabling these processes, micronutrients support the heal ...

s 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 Myristic acid (IUPAC name: tetradecanoic acid) is a common saturated fatty acid with the molecular formula . Its salts and esters are commonly referred to as myristates or tetradecanoates. The name of the acyl group derived from myristic acid is m ...

(negligible),

palmitic acid Palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature) is a fatty acid with a 16-carbon chain. It is the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants and microorganisms.Gunstone, F. D., John L. Harwood, and Albert J. Dijkstra. The ...

(17%),

stearic acid Stearic acid ( , ) is a saturated fatty acid with an 18-carbon chain. The IUPAC name is octadecanoic acid. It is a soft waxy solid with the formula . The triglyceride derived from three molecules of stearic acid is called stearin. Stearic acid ...

(5%), palmitoleic acid (about 1%),

oleic acid Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish due to the presence of impurities. In chemical terms, oleic acid is cl ...

(22%), cis- vaccenic acid (3%),

(50%), and

α-linolenic acid α-Linolenic acid, also known as ''alpha''-linolenic acid (ALA) (from Greek ''alpha'' denoting "first" and ''linon'' meaning flax), is an ''n''−3, or omega-3, essential fatty acid. ALA is found in many seeds and oils, including flaxseed, ...

(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 Baja California Sur, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur, is a state in Mexico. It is the 31st and last state to be admitted, in 1974. It is also the second least populated Mexican state and the ninth-largest state by ...

displayed at the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City File:Dragon fruit (Pitaya).jpg, Dissected pitaya

References

External links

*{{Commons category-inline, Pitaya Cacti of Mexico Cacti of South America Central American cuisine Crops originating from North America Desert fruits Drought-tolerant plants Epiphytes Edible fruits Fruits originating in North America Selenicereus Mesoamerican cuisine Night-blooming plants Stenocereus Tropical agriculture Tropical fruit