Dragon fruit is a white-fleshed fruit with tiny black seeds and vibrant pink skin. Each fruit weighs between 150-600g and is commonly used in fruit salads, smoothies and salads. It has little flavour and its texture closely resembles that of kiwi fruit. To prepare all you to do is to cut the fruit in half and then scoop out the flesh.
dragon fruit is native to South America, but you’ll also found it grown in parts of Indonesia, Taiwan, Southern California and most recently Australia. Dragon fruit grows on cactus plants which love warm, humid climates and needs very little water. They are subtropical plants which need at least six hours of sunlight per day. They will also grow well in a warm and sunny spot indoors.
In the right conditions dragon fruit plants grow can grow to be quite tall and will put down aerial roots as they grow so make sure your pot is at least 40cm in diameter. Also, remember that dragon fruit plants are climbers so give them a stake or something else to climb on.
Growing dragon fruit outdoors in your garden is a fail-proof way to add colour and personality to your garden. To prepare simply clear the area of any weeds and rocks and make sure that the soil is slightly sandy and acidic, you can always add a bit of extra potting mix to the bed to help make it cacti-proof.
When your dragon fruit starts flowering is a good indicator that fruit is on its way. Generally speaking, it will take around four weeks for a dragon fruit to be ready, you’ll know when it is ripe when its skin turns that vibrant pink. Use a pair of sharp secateurs to cut the fruit off and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
