We’ve all seen them, the wonderfully coloured oddly shaped fruit that we know as Dragon Fruit.
But did you know how they grow?
We’re lucky enough to have some dragon fruit plants or well, cactus’s nearby so we are in on this little secret that we thought we should share with you!
Dragon fruit is in fact indigenous to Central America but is perfectly suited to the climate and sandy soils of Koh Phangan.
If you didn’t know already then the way you eat dragon fruit is to slice it in half and eat the white fleshy seed filled inside, it has the texture of a kiwi yet a gentler more soft flavour which is most appreciated straight off of the tree, super fresh!
Like many other fruits on Koh Phangan, dragon fruits are rich in antioxidants and they also have calcium which is good for bones and teeth plus many other vitamins and nutrients which are beneficial for health.
There are many ways to enjoy dragon fruit such as straight off the tree on its own, in a fruit salad or in your favourite fruit shake as an extra boost of loveliness.
The story of the dragon fruit is that this cactus like plant produces a flower which opens at night but only for two or three nights and it really is a beautiful thing to see if you catch it on the right evening.
This is often called the ‘moonflower’ (very apt for this island!) and then it withers in the strong sunlight.
The flower is pollinated at night and then it starts to bear the fruit, ready for us to enjoy!
Keep updated with phanganist.com by following our Facebook page.
