How to tell if dragon fruit is pink or white

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Dragon fruit is a fruit of many names, known as pitaya and pitahaya depending on genus, as well as strawberry pear and even night blooming cereus.

It is also called thang loy in Thailand, pitahayah if hailing from Israel, and paniniokapunahou in Hawaii.

Despite this contemporary global spread, dragon fruit is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America and was introduced to Asia via Vietnam by the French in the early 1800s.

In the United States, dragon fruit continues to gain popularity, which is spurring expansion in commercial production.

A number of dragon fruit species are grown around the world, from Asia and the Middle East to Central and South America. Vietnam is Asia’s top producer, primarily growing fruit with bright pink skin and white flesh; other Asian countries cultivating the fruit include Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Nicaragua and Ecuador both grow significant amounts of a pink-skinned dragon fruit species with deep to light pink flesh. Ecuador also grows a yellow skinned variety with white flesh, which is also cultivated in Colombia. Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala are also seasonal producers.

Other countries that grow pitaya for domestic consumption and export include Australia and Israel.

Dragon fruit is often consumed fresh, much like a kiwi, and the plant’s small flower is edible when cooked.

Rich in protein, fiber, iron, and antioxidants, it is a popular ingredient in fruit bars, jellies, juice, yogurt, and smoothies. Red varieties can also be used as a natural dye or colorant.

Types & Varieties
While dragon fruit is a cousin of the cactus pear, the two fruits exhibit key differences: first, pitaya seeds are edible, much like kiwifruit; second, the fruit does not typically have spines, instead possessing various colored protective shoots that surround the baseball-sized fruit.

The flesh of dragon fruit can vary from white (with pink or yellow skin) to hot pink or deep red with tiny black seeds. Flavor is associated with the color of the flesh: whitish dragon fruit often has a mild taste while darker, redder flesh can be sweeter and juicier.

As a relatively new entrant to the U.S. tropical fruit landscape, there is still uncertainty about which varieties are optimal for growing domestically.

There is ongoing research into varietals with colorful names for the U.S. market, such as American Beauty, Armando, Bien Hoa Red, Bien Hoa White, Cebra, Colombiana, Delight, Haley’s Comet, Mexicana, Orejona, Physical Graffiti, Rosa, San Ignacio, Seoul Kitchen, Valdivia Roja, Vietnamese Giant, and Yellow Dragon.

CULTIVATION

Growing well in tropical lowlands, the perennial dragon fruit is a type of climbing cactus plant that can live as long as two decades.

The semi-spiny plant can have long, fleshy, triangular stem segments that should be pruned regularly. Commercial orchards need a trellising system to support the plant’s vertical growth and aerial roots.

Pitaya fruits within one year, during the summer months and into the fall (June to October). It can be harvested 30 to 50 days after fruit set.

As a night bloomer, the plant has yellowish-green fragrant flowers that open early in the evening and wilt by daybreak due to light and temperature.

Moths and bats can both pollinate the flowers, but hand pollination is sometimes necessary due to cultivar.

Plants prefer a moist, warm climate and rich soil, and are desirable for their drought tolerance, often needing only 25 to 50 inches of water per year.

Uneven soil moisture, however, can lead to less flowering or fruit splitting, while excessive rain can result in flower drop and fruit rot.

Plants prefer ample sunlight, though too much sun can damage stems if combined with low humidity or inadequate moisture in the soil. Not enough sun can lead to lower quality fruit and reduced production.

Falling temperatures are dangerous too, as plants are sensitive to cold, but can recover from brief exposure to freezing temperatures.

While most dragon fruit is harvested between June and October, the season can be extended by supplemental light from incandescent bulbs in some regions.

Added light induces the plant to keep flowering. Depending on variety, it is best to hand-clip fruit at harvest when well-colored from yellow or pink to red.

Pests & Diseases
As a relatively recent fruit to commercial production in the United States, research into pests and diseases is ongoing.

Thrips can cause serious damage to the outside of the fruit but are currently only found in Florida. The tiny bugs will mark fruit with a stippled pattern that is primarily an aesthetic issue.

The leaf-footed bug can be problematic and is commonly found in Colombia, Nicaragua, and Mexico.

Aphids and ants, scale, and mealybugs can affect production when not controlled, while birds, snails, and rodents can also disrupt growing and subsequent harvests. Producers in Australia use netting to protect ripening fruit from birds.

Soft rot can affect stems and a calcium deficiency has been linked to worsening of this condition in Mexico. Other damage includes the root system when accompanied by additional injuries such as sunburn or other opportunistic diseases.

Cactus virus X can result in reduced growth, such as no new shoots or flowers, enlarged stems, and a darkish-dull green color. Currently, there is no cure and infected plants should be removed.

Other diseases and pathogens include anthracnose, brown spot, canker, and fruit rot.

Storage & Packaging
Dragon fruit can be easily damaged by chilling injury, leading to wilting, browning, and softening if exposed to temperatures between 41°F and 43°F.

To prevent water loss and shriveling, fruit be stored in protective containers.
Once picked, dragon fruit does not continue ripening; postharvest life is up to 4 weeks when properly cooled and stored. At room temperature, fruit will last 4 to 5 days.

Optimal storage temperature varies by variety, with red dragon fruit favoring 50°F and yellow dragon fruit preferring 43°F with optimum relative humidity of 85 to 90%.

High quality dragon fruit will be well-shaped and brightly colored, with ?rm flesh and bracts.

References: Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center, University of California Cooperative Extension (Ventura County), University of Florida/IFAS Extension, University of Hawaii.

GRADES & GOOD ARRIVAL

Currently, there are no good arrival guidelines published for this commodity.

Dragon Fruit Terminal Market
Pricing: 10 lb. Cartons

Ever wonder exactly what dragon fruit is? With the cultural fascination of dragons (think “Game of Thrones,” The Hobbit, “How to Train your Dragon”), it’s no wonder that the produce spotlight would be turned to this funny-looking tropical fruit reminiscent of flame throwing. But what is dragon fruit? What do you do with it, and how are the different varieties, well, different? Look no further than this ultimate dragon fruit guide. Spoiler alert—there is a dragon in this fairy tale.

Step #1 – Go dragon hunting

Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is a beautiful tropical cactus fruit that is a cousin to the cactus pear. Although it is the fruit of a cactus, it does not have any spines or needles on the outer skin. Originally grown in Mexico and Central America, today it can be found growing all over the world in places like Ecuador, Israel, Vietnam, Nicaragua, California and Florida. Dragon fruit tastes like a combination of kiwifruit and pear, and different varieties have different flavors and sweetness levels (more to come on that). This stunning cactus fruit is speckled with edible seeds and the flesh is high in water content, making it the perfect summer fruit.

Dragon fruit is known for containing prebiotic fiber to promote gut health, specifically encouraging the growth of the probiotics lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Not to mention, dragon fruit also contains multiple classes of antioxidants including flavonoids, phenolic acid, and betacyanin. Plus, the fruit has small amounts of several other key nutrients including vitamin C, iron, magnesium, protein and calcium. More on that here.

Dragon fruit is available year-round, but different varieties may be available at different times of the year. To extend the shelf life of these beauties, you can scoop out the flesh and freeze it.

There are many different kinds of dragon fruit that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, sweetness and flavor profiles, and color combinations—ranging from red skin/white flesh to red skin/red flesh to yellow skin/white flesh. Let’s take a closer look:

Red skin/white flesh

The most common dragon fruit variety, this dragon fruit has red skin with white flesh and black seeds. It has an earthy flavor and is the least sweet of all dragon fruit varieties. This type of dragon fruit is extremely popular in Asian cuisine and is used for summer refreshment, mealtime palate cleansers and snacking. We love how this dragon fruit comes in its own bowl—simply scoop out the flesh, dice it up and add it back in with berries and melon for a beautiful fruit salad. This type of dragon fruit is typically available year-round and is the most widely grown worldwide.

Red skin/red flesh

A favorite of ours, red dragon fruit is the most striking with bright magenta flesh. The flavor is sweeter than the white-flesh variety, with a hint of berry. Red-flesh dragon fruit is commonly found growing in Nicaragua where it is magically fertilized in the rich volcanic soil, making it more flavorful and sweet. Compared to the red skin/white flesh variety, red dragon fruit is round with small leaves aka “bracts.” Red dragon fruit is also grown in Israel where it is smaller and looks different than its other friends––much like a giant, pink pine cone.

Just a little bit of red dragon fruit will go a long way. It is terrific in cocktails and popsicles, but you’ll need to rinse your cutting board immediately after because that delicious red juice likes to flow (it can stain your hands or any light-colored surfaces). This dragon fruit is usually available from summer into fall.

Yellow skin/white flesh

This is the sweetest of all dragons! The inside is almost translucent and the seeds are larger than in other varieties. This yellow dragon fruit is commonly grown in Ecuador. The bracts on this vibrant yellow variety are smaller and less leafy than on its red-skinned counterparts. We call this the “gateway” dragon fruit, since it is the sweetest and most flavorful. One bite and you’ll be hooked! We love this one in fresh, fruity salsa that pairs well with fish, or just eat it straight out of the skin with a spoon. Yellow dragon fruit is usually available in bursts throughout most of the year.

Step #2 – Know a dragon when you see it

What’s the difference between dragon fruit and pitaya?

The actual name pitaya, or pitahaya (they are interchangeable), stems from the Latin American heritage of this beautiful exotic fruit. This tropical fruit is native to Central America (dating back to the 13th century). However, it made its way to Vietnam and Malaysia (probably because of its popularity with Asian consumers), where it is now widely grown. We’ve heard that the Vietnamese name, “thang loy,” somehow translates into the English words “dragon fruit.” In Israel, where the fruit is commercially grown and then imported into the U.S., growers like to call it “pitaya” or “pitahaya,” while Vietnamese growers label theirs “dragon fruit,” thus the different names.

So, whether you see them called pitaya, pitahaya, or dragon fruit, they are all basically the same fruit.

Step #3 – Befriend the dragon

Dragon fruit is extremely versatile. Its refreshing nature is perfect for smoothies and smoothie bowls— ideal warm-weather breakfasts.

Because the flavor is so neutral, it is a nice fruit complement to other fruits that like to steal the flavor show including berries, pineapple, citrus and açai. That means dragon fruit was destined for fruit salads and spicy salsa. You can even grill it, in fact, we “heart” these grilled tropical fruit kebabs.

But don’t end the day there! Dragon fruit is the perfect garnish for cocktails and can add a beautiful decorative flourish to any dessert. We also love it in sorbet.

So go forth, hunt for your dragon and let us know what you find!

To check out more of our Ultimate Guides, click here, here and here.