Tell if a Dragon Fruit Is Ripe

Dragon fruit, or pitaya, are cactus fruit that come in three types: Hylocereus undatus (Pitaya blanca or White-fleshed Pitaya) this is the most common, with red skin and white flesh; Hylocereus costaricensis (Pitaya roja, Red-fleshed Pitaya, or Hylocereus polyrhizus) which has both red skin and flesh; and Hylocereus megalanthus (Pitaya amarilla, Yellow Pitaya, or Selenicereus megalanthus) which has yellow skin and white flesh inside. You can determine if a dragon fruit is ripe by looking at and touching the fruit before eating.

Steps

Looking at a Dragon Fruit to Determine its Ripeness

  1. Look for dragon fruit that is red or yellow in color. When a dragon fruit is not ripe it will be green in color. As the fruit matures and ripens, the outer skin color changes to red or yellow, depending on the variety.[1]
    • When ripe the outer skin should be bright and even-colored. If the fruit has a lot of dark blotches on the skin, similar to bruises on an apple, then it may be overripe. A few spots, however, are normal.
  2. Determine if the “wings” on the fruit have started to wither. Dragon fruit wings are the leafy part that extend off of the fruit. When they start to dry out, turn brown, and wither the dragon fruit is ripe and ready to be eaten. Conversely, if the wings are still colorful (ie red or yellow) that means the fruit is underripe and still needs more time to ripen.[1]
  3. Cut open the dragon fruit. The inside of a dragon fruit is usually white, deep pink, or purple, depending on the variety, and contains tiny black seeds. The black seeds are edible and are similar in appearance to those found in a kiwi. When ripe the inside of a dragon fruit should appear juicy yet firm in texture: like a cross between a melon and a pear.[2]
    • When a dragon fruit is overripe the inner flesh will turn brown in color, similar to the bruised flesh of a banana. You should not eat fruit that is brown or dried out.

Touching a Dragon Fruit to See if it is Ripe

  1. Press the dragon fruit gently with your thumb. Hold the dragon fruit in your palm and try pressing the skin with your thumb or fingers. It should be soft, but not too mushy. If it is really mushy then the fruit is likely overripe and you should not purchase it. If it’s very firm, it will need a few days to ripen.[3]
    • You can purchase a dragon fruit that is underripe and leave it out on a counter for a few days at room temperature. It will likely ripen in a couple days. Test the ripeness daily by pressing the skin.
  2. Check for impurities or damage to the skin. Dragon fruit can get damaged skin from rough handling and transportation mishaps. For example, if the fruit is not packaged properly during transportation, they may roll into each other. They might also become bruised from being dropped. If damaged the fruit will contain noticeable blemishes and will be much smaller and shriveled due to moisture loss.[4]
    • Check all sides of the fruit and avoid purchasing fruit that has been cracked, split open, or damaged.
  3. Avoid fruits with dried out stems. One sign that a dragon fruit may be overripe is a dried out stem. Touch the fruit to determine if the stem is brittle, shriveled, and dried out.[5]

Harvesting Dragon Fruit at the Appropriate Time

  1. Harvest dragon fruits when they are close to fully ripe. Dragon fruits, unlike many other fruits, do not ripen as much after harvest and as a result should be harvested when they are almost fully ripe. Once the color of the fruit has changed from green to yellow or red then it is ready to harvest. You can also determine the ripeness by counting the days after the plant flowers. Typically the fruit is ripe a minimum of 27 to 33 days after the plant flowers.[6]
    • Proper time of harvesting is four days after the color of the fruit changes. For export purpose, however, it is important to harvest slightly sooner, a day after the color changes.
  2. Remove the thorns from the fruit before picking. You can remove the thorns by using pliers, brushing them off, or with gloves. When the fruit is ripe the needles should begin to shed anyways, and as a result they should not be too difficult to remove. However, you should always wear gloves and be cautious because the needles are very sharp.[6]
  3. Detach the dragon fruit from the vine by twisting. When a dragon fruit is ripe and ready to be harvested, it will detach from the plant easily by twisting a few times. If you have to pull too hard on the fruit then it is likely not ready to be harvested.[1]
    • Do not wait until the dragon fruit has fallen off the plant. This means that the fruit is overripe.


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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://tastylandscape.com/2013/07/30/how-to-get-dragon-fruit-cactus-to-fruit/
  2. ↑ http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Red_Dragon_Fruit_Pitaya_1439.php
  3. ↑ [[http://www.healwithfood.org/how-to-eat/dragon-fruit-pitahaya.php
  4. ↑ http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Commodity_Resources/Fact_Sheets/Datastores/Fruit_English/?uid=49&ds=798
  5. ↑ http://parade.com/62212/linzlowe/what-the-heck-is-a-dragon-fruit-and-how-do-you-eat-it/
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.selfsufficientme.com/fruit-vegetables/dragon-fruit-pitaya-how-to-guide-for-growing

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