Dragon fruit, pitaya, strawberry pear, this extraordinarily vibrant cactus fruit goes by a number of different names.
You may never have eaten one (it is said they only really taste good close to where they are grown) but once seen they are not easily forgotten – scaly on the outside (where the dragon name comes from) and filled with vibrant coloured flesh and dark seeds.
We are probably more used to the white and vivid pink combination, but there are also varieties with bright red and yellow flesh for an even more technicolour look.
A further unusual feature of the plant is that its flowers only bloom at night – in the early hours of the morning.
The fruit of several species of cactus and native to southern Mexico and parts of Central America, dragon fruit were later transported to southeast Asia where they now thrive, with Vietnam currently being the world’s largest producer.
The fruit has also seen a huge increase in farming in India in recent years due to its low water requirements, minimal disease risk and good financial returns.
Not yet a Subscriber?
This is a small extract of the full article which is available ONLY to premium content subscribers. Click below to get premium content on Cosmetics Business.
Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Sign in here.
