Dragon Fruit Trivia | 30 facts about the exotic fruit

Dragon fruit is an exotic fruit, that only by the sound of its name brings some curiosity to anyone who likes strange kind of food.

Let’s find out more about the dragonfruit!

1. Its official name is  pitaya or pitahaya.
2. Dragonfruit is its “nickname”, that is commonly known as.
3. It is the fruit of several different cactus species.
4. It is indigenous to the Americas.
5. Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus Stenocereus, while pitahaya or dragon fruit refers to fruit of the genus Selenicereus (formerly Hylocereus).
6. They both in the family Cactaceae.
7. Dragon fruit is cultivated in Southeast Asia, India, United States, the Caribbean, Australia, Mesoamerica and throughout tropical and subtropical world regions.
8. The fruits that are commonly known in English as “dragon fruit”, own this name since around 1963.
9. It is apparently resulting from the leather-like skin and prominent scaly spikes on the fruit exterior.
10. The names pitahaya and pitaya derive from Mexico, and pitaya roja in Central America and northern South America.
11. It is possibly relating to pitahaya for names of tall cacti species with flowering fruit.
12. The fruit may also be known as a strawberry pear.
13. Pitaya-producing cacti of the genus Selinicereus are native to regions including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and northern South America.
14. The dragon fruit is cultivated in Southeast Asia, India, United States, the Caribbean, Australia, and throughout tropical and subtropical world regions.
15. Dragon fruit is low in calories but packed with essential vitamins and minerals.
16. It also contains a substantial amount of dietary fiber.
17. Beyond essential nutrients, dragon fruit supplies beneficial plant compounds like polyphenols, carotenoids and betacyanins
18. Stems and fruits are susceptible to several diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, a nematode, and a virus.
19. Overwatering or excessive rainfall can cause the flowers to drop and fruit to rot.
20. The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris causes the stems to rot.
21. Dothiorella fungi can cause brown spots on the fruit.
22. Other fungi known to infect pitaya include Botryosphaeria dothidea, Colletotrichum gloesporioides and Bipolaris cactivora.
23. Your gut is home to some 100 trillion diverse microorganisms, including more than 400 species of bacteria
24. Dragon fruit grows on a cactus that blooms for one night per fruit cycle.
25. Pollination of the dragon fruit plant is done by nocturnal creatures, like moth and bats.
26. Rumor has it that in one culture, it was common to re-eat the seed after they pass through the body. Yuck!
27. Dragon fruit tastes the best when eaten chilled.
28. Combination of dragon fruit with cucumber juice and honey, you can create a compound like an ale that can soothe burned skin
29. There are varieties of dragon fruit. The red-colored (inside) ones tend to be sweeter.
30. To choose a ripe dragon fruit, look for bright, even-colored skin. A few blemishes on the skin are usual, but if the fruit has a lot of flaws, it may be over-ripe. Hold the dragon fruit in your palm, and try pressing the skin with your thumb or fingers. It should give a little, but shouldn’t be too soft or mushy