2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Pitaya (lat. Hylocereus) - this is the general name for the fruits of very original cacti of several species at once. Quite often there are such names for these fruits as pitahaya or "dragon fruit".
History
America is considered to be the birthplace of the pitaya, and the first mention of this bizarre fruit dates back to 1553 - the very first description of the beautiful pitaya was given in the book of Cieza de Leon called The Chronicle of Peru. Pitaya was very popular with the Indians, because it was not difficult to collect these fruits, and there was no need to cook them.
And Eastern legends tell us that the appearance of these unusual fruits was the result of battles with dragons - when the evil monsters could no longer belch flame, pitaya fell from their mouths.
Description
Pitaya is a liana-shaped epiphytic bizarre curly cacti with large and very fragrant white flowers that open at night.
The fruits on the trees do not begin to set immediately after flowering, but after thirty to fifty days. Often, up to five to six yield cycles occur in one year. At the same time, the richest harvests of pitaya are harvested in Vietnam - almost annually up to thirty tons per hectare.
The weight of pitaya fruits can range from one hundred and fifty to six hundred grams, and other fruits can weigh a kilogram. Inside each fruit, you can see many tiny black seeds, and outside the fruit is colored yellowish or red. The flesh of red fruits is usually reddish or white. The taste of pitaya is somewhat reminiscent of the taste of well-known kiwi, however, the aroma of these fruits is still less saturated, and when heated, it is completely lost.
Where grows
Pitaya is very actively cultivated in South and Central America, as well as in Mexico. You can often find this culture in a number of countries in Southeast Asia (in China, Japan (especially on Okinawa), Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines). In addition, pitaya is cultivated in Armenia, Northern Australia, Israel and the United States.
Application
The sweetish pulp of pitaya is most often consumed raw. Sometimes the taste of the fruit may seem bland, but this is only at first glance. It is best to eat this fruit slightly chilled, avoiding combinations with foods that have a pungent flavor. By the way, the fruits of pitaya are very low in calories, which is good news for people watching their weight.
Pitaya is also widely used for flavoring various drinks. Moreover, it makes excellent wine and healthy juices. And the edible flowers of this culture are brewed with tea in many countries. Pitaya is excellently absorbed by the body and provides invaluable benefits for indigestion. Moreover, these fruits have a beneficial effect on the endocrine and cardiovascular systems, and are also recommended for use by diabetics.
Immediately before consumption, each pitaya fruit should be cut vertically into two halves. Next, the resulting halves are again cut into small slices (like a melon) or the juicy pulp is scooped out with a spoon.
It is undesirable to eat pitaya seeds, but if they are still caught, then it is better to chew them, otherwise they will not be digested. And the skins of these bizarre fruits are inedible and can contain a lot of pesticides.
Growing
It grows best in a moderately dry tropical climate with moderate rainfall. Precipitation in the form of rains or excessive moisture can lead to early fall of flowers and gradual decay of fruits. By the way, unripe fruits are often pecked by birds. Rotting of pitaya stalks is usually caused by the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris, and the appearance of brownish specks on the fruit is due to damage by the fungus Dothiorella, although this is extremely rare.
