Though there are a few varieties of dragon fruit, the Hylocereus Undatus type is most commonly found in Belize.

Native to tropical America, these plants (also known as pitaya) are climbing vines that can reach 20 feet in length. Their flowers bloom at night and last less than a day, relying on nocturnal pollinators like bats and moths or early morning bees. Only the pollinated flowers produce a fruit, which is a soft white fleshy berry-like fruit with tiny edible seeds inside, encased in a pinkish leathery spikey skin as seen in photo.

Dragon fruit is most often propagated with foot long laterally sliced stem cuttings taken from mature plants that have been allowed to dry for about a week, and then inserted into the soil at the base of a tree or very sturdy trellis.

The plant has a superficial root system with aerial roots growing from the underside of the stems providing anchors for climbing. The stems are 3, 4, or sometimes 5 sided green fleshy jointed segments with wavy wings. The flowers are large, showy, bell shaped, nocturnal, fragrant and quite edible. After pollination takes place, the flowers begin to wilt. The fruit appears about a month after pollination and should be harvested only after achieving full colorization. They do not ripen further once picked.

Tasting similar to a cross between a pear and kiwi, the fruit is low in calories, but packed with nutrients with a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin C, flavonoids, antioxidants, and fiber. It can help improve heart health, immune systems, digestion, and skin health. It is also known to provide health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes.

When chilled and sliced in half the fruit can be eaten with a spoon or squeezed for an enjoyable cool drink. Some like it mixed in yogurt, in a smoothie, or added to a salad. The unopened flower can be eaten as a vegetable.

Recipes

Popsicles:
Make dragon fruit popcicles with 1 Tbsp condensed milk, 1 peeled dragon fruit and up to 4 Tbsps. of sugar.
Blend all ingredients and pour into popsicle molds or small cups with inserted ice cream sticks. Freeze for 6 hours before serving.

Salsa:
Ingredients:
1 large dragon fruit
2 chopped tomatoes
1 finely chopped medium onion
1 finely chopped green chili
3-5 finely chopped cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Put peeled and crushed dragon fruit and tomato in chopper.
In a glass bowl, toss and mix all ingredients and serve with nachos.

Dragon fruit flowers:
Ingredients:
Fresh dragon fruit flowers
2 Tbsps cooking oil
2-3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp salted butter
1  tsp sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Blended herbal salt
Directions:
Heat oil in wok or skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute til fragrant. Slice flower into 4 segments longways and add to pan. Cover and steam a few minutes until tender. Add butter, seasoning and sesame oil and fry til golden. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving as a side dish.