Pitahaya (Dragon Fruit)
Hylocereous undatus
This bright, refreshing fruit has a mild sweetness making it easy to eat lots of! Texture of both the tender flesh and the tiny crunchy seeds within are very reminiscent of a kiwi without the acidity Unlike other pitaya or tunas that grow on upright-standing cacti, dragon fruit grows on an epiphyte that roots into the soil but crawls like a vining plant up trees and trellises, fruiting at the tips of dangling cactus arms.
(For the nerds—there’s a breakdown of Latin names and dragon fruit varieties below)
These pictures were taken at Jay Reynolds’ Treehouse Permaculture Farm in Pine Island, Florida. Honduran-American agroforestry enthusiast Kevin Cruz arranged for us to take a farm tour and we got to harvest some perfectly ripe pitahaya with Jay to take back home with us, in addition to some of the most incredible mangos and longan berries I had ever had!
