Facts and benefits of Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit Quick Facts
Name: Dragon Fruit
Scientific Name: Hylocereus undatus
Colors Pink, red, yellow
Shapes Subglobose, ellipsoid, oblong to oval, 5 to 12.5 cm long by 4 to 9 cm across
Flesh colors Red
Taste Mildly sweet
Calories 264 Kcal./cup
Major nutrients Carbohydrate (63.18%)
Calcium (10.70%)
Vitamin C (10.22%)
Protein (7.14%)
Total dietary Fiber (4.74%)
Health benefits Lowers cholesterol, Boost immunity, Digestive health, Prevent diabetes, Healthy heart
Dragon fruit is a fast growing vine like cactus. The fruit is spherical, red colored with notable scales. It has slim rind skin which is protected in scales. The pulp of the fruit is white or red and tastes fairly sweet. Generally, the dragon fruit is deep red in color but some varieties might be pink or yellow. Belonging to cactus family, it got its generic name from what the locals of Southeast Asia refers it as dragon crystal, dragon scales, green dragon and dragon pearl fruit. It is inherent to Southern and Central America and is brought to Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
The vining or terrestrial cactus achieves the height of 6 to 10 meters. The plant grows over the ground or climb on trees for making aerial roots. Usually the flowers are delightful and elaborate and various related varieties are spread as ornamentals. The flavor of Dragon fruit could be explained as the mixture of kiwi fruit and pear. It possess sensitive flavor and is much less fairly sweet. The flower blooms at night time and mostly last just one night where pollination is necessary for producing fruit. Dragon fruit plants in full production have 4 to 6 fruiting cycles each year. It could tolerate temperature ranges to 104 F, short period frost and lengthy cold destroys the plant.
Dragon fruit prefers dried, exotic and subtropical environments with annual rainfall from 20-50″ each year. Plants also develop effectively in wet and exotic zones but might have difficulties in producing fruit dependably. Generally the plants are not picky as to soil type but due to its epiphytic nature it is suggested to grow them in soil with high quantities of organic material.
Dragon fruit is also known as King of the fruit because it has glowing red color appearance and is olive shaped. Each fruit measures 500 to 1200 grams. The red or white flesh has fairly sweet taste with mild aroma. Additionally, it is referred as Belle of the Night, Conderella Plant, Dragon Common Night Blooming Cereus, Fruit, Night Blooming Cereus, Nanettika Fruit, Pitahaya, Red Pitahaya, Strawberry Pear, Queen Of The Night, White-fleshed Pitahaya, White-fleshed Dragon Fruit, Common night blooming-cereus, Night-blooming cactus, Parsley fern and Strawberry cactus pear
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