Botanical name: Hylocereus costaricensis
Red skin / red flesh A pitaya roja looks similar to a blanca on the outside. Once sliced open, its lovely crimson red or magenta insides are revealed. The flavor of a roja is considered a more complex flavor profile with the addition of some acidity.
The dragonfruit is an exotic fruit thats commonly grown in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and other countries with a warm climate. It is a remarkable looking specimen, bursting with color and mystique. Looking at its scale-like skin, it is easy to see how it earned its name.
The dragonfruit has a delicate, mildly sweet taste, which is similar to a pear. Its texture is firm, creamy, juicy, and somewhat crisp to the bite.
Youll notice a chia-like crunch thanks to a flesh that contains many tiny seeds. It is perfectly okay to eat the seeds in the same way that you would eat a kiwi.
GROWING INSTRUCTIONS
Wet a tissue paper and lay the seeds onto it.
Lay the seed-speckled tissue onto the top of a planting tray or bed filled with moist sterile potting mix. Sprinkle a light layer of soil over the seeds so that they are nestled in the soil under a thin coating of soil no more than 1/4 inch thick. Water the soil lightly and replace any soil over the seeds if they become exposed. Keep the planted seeds moist at all times through germination.
Keep the planted seeds in a location with ambient temperatures in the range of 65 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Warmer temperatures can also be tolerated for short spans, provided they do not exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transplant into larger containers when the plants outgrow their original containers. Allow up to three years for the stems to harden off and take their mature plant form. Keep the soil lightly and evenly moist at all times, but never consistently wet. Dragon fruit grow best with ample irrigation.
Fertilize your young dragon fruit plant lightly, every other month, after the growth is at least 3 inches in height. Apply a very light dose fertilizer around the plant. Increase fertilizer after the first year of green growth.
Top dress the soil around the plant once a year with well-aged livestock manure or compost to enrich the soil. Lay down a 1- to 2-inch thick blanket around the plant while keeping the organics away from the trunk. Increase the amount of compost and/or manure around the plant as it matures.
