More on the Dragon Fruit - REALLY Yummy!

Excerpted from Wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_fruit

 

The dragon fruit is also known as a pitaya or pitahaya and is the fruit of several cactus species, most importantly of the genus Hylocereus (sweet pitayas).

 

These fruits are commonly known as dragon fruit, Chinese huǒ lóng guǒ, "fire dragon fruit", lóng zhū guǒ, "dragon pearl fruit", Vietnamese thanh long meaning "blue dragon", Indonesian and Malaysian buah naga, Lao mark mang gohn, and Thai kaeo mangkon or "dragon crystal". Other vernacular names are strawberry pear or nanettikafruit.

Hylocereus blooms only at night; the large white fragrant flowers of the typical cactusflower shape are among those called "moonflower" or "Queen of the Night". Sweet pitayas have a creamy pulp and a delicate aroma. It is also grown as an Ornamental plant, used in gardens as a flowering vine, and a house plant indoors.

After thorough cleaning of the seeds from the pulp of the fruit, the seeds may be stored when dried. Ideally, the fruit must be unblemished and overripe. Seeds grow well in a compost or potting soil mix - even as a potted indoor plant. Pitaya cacti usually germinate between 11 and 14 days after shallow planting. As they are cacti, overwatering is a concern for home growers. As their growth continues, these climbing plants will find something to climb on, which can involve putting aerial roots down from the branches in addition to the basal roots. Once the plant reaches a mature 10 pounds in weight, the plant may flower.

Pitaya flowers bloom overnight and usually wilt by the morning. They rely on nocturnal pollinators such as bats or moths for fertilization. Self-fertilization will not produce fruit. This limits the capability of home growers to produce the fruit. However, the plants can flower between three and six times in a year depending on growing conditions. Like other cacti, if a healthy piece of the stem is broken off, it may take root in soil and become its own plant.