If you've tried a dragon fruit and it tasted like water, chances are it was cut too early. That's the first reason Fran, the farmer who grows it, gives: the fruit gets picked a little earlier than it should, out of fear of losing it. The variety matters too, and so does the market wanting really big fruit. A dragon fruit picked at the right moment does have flavour, and it tastes sweet.
It's one of the fruits with the worst reputation in our shop, because people buy it for its looks and sometimes end up disappointed. So I asked a fellow farmer who grows it straight out, and he answered with a long, very honest voice message. Here it is in full, in his own words.
How do you know in the field that a dragon fruit is ready to pick?
First off, there's no fixed number of days. "It all depends on the weather conditions. In summer we're talking about thirty to thirty-five days, more or less, but in autumn it can go up to fifty days."
And the reason is light: "It's a fruit that needs hours of light, both to flower and to ripen. So in autumn, when you get cloudy days and the sun doesn't come out, we lose those days. The harvest keeps getting pushed back."
In other words: from flower to fruit it can take 30 to 35 days in summer and up to 50 in autumn. Every cloudy day makes the wait longer. That's why dragon fruit goes slower in autumn, and that's why you can't rush it.
The green tips detail
Here's the sign he looks for on the plant: "And then we also see that the fruit has turned completely from green to red, but it's not fully red. You have to leave the tips of the pitayas just a tiny bit green. That way they last longer, and they also keep a little of the tangy note the fruit can have."
That's the sweet spot: the skin has already turned from green to red, but the tips of the scales are still slightly green. That way the fruit handles the journey better and keeps that tangy touch that makes it interesting. If you get a dragon fruit with slightly green tips, it isn't unripe: it's been picked just right.
Why do so many people say dragon fruit tastes of nothing?
His answer has three parts and he holds nothing back. First, picking too early: "The main reason is premature harvesting. It's normal, because nobody wants to lose the fruit. You don't want rats eating them, you don't want birds pecking holes in them, you're afraid that if it rains, once they're ripe, they'll split. So, normally, you cut them, let's say, a tiny bit early."
Second, the variety: "And then the other factor can also be the varieties. Some varieties are much sweeter than others."
And third, the size the market asks for: "And another factor is the market problem, it always wants fruit of three or four hundred grams. And to get that, what do you have to do? Give it fertiliser and water. That makes the fruit lose a bit of, let's say, the sweetness it could have."
That explains a lot. A huge dragon fruit isn't necessarily a better dragon fruit. And a fruit picked a few days early for fear of losing it arrives whole and gorgeous, but with less sugar. We harvest it when you order it, and that's exactly what lets us wait those extra days.
How many days does a dragon fruit last at home? Fridge or counter?
His answer here is surprising: "Well, I'll tell you, I've kept them in the fridge for almost two months. It can get ugly on the outside, but inside it's completely intact, perfect."
And he compares it to another of our fruits: "Think about it, with all the antioxidants it has, it just doesn't go bad. Same thing happens with pomegranate. You can have a pomegranate with dry, really ugly skin, but inside it's perfect. Pitaya's the same. If you leave it in the fridge, it lasts, like I said, I've had them for almost two months. On the outside they look awful, but inside they're perfect."
In short: in the fridge, and don't worry if the scales get dry or ugly. Before you throw a dragon fruit away because of how it looks outside, open it up.
How does the grower eat dragon fruit at home?
Keeping it simple: "Me, on their own. At home we all eat them on their own and with yogurt. Mind you, my wife has it with that Greek yogurt."
No sugar, no weird combinations, just simple: cut in half, with a teaspoon, on its own or with yogurt. And if you want it even tastier, eat it cold from the fridge, which is where it'll be anyway.
Dragon fruit FAQ
Why does my dragon fruit taste of nothing?
Almost always because it was picked too early. It can also be the variety, or a very large fruit grown with lots of fertiliser and water.
How many days from flower to fruit?
30 to 35 days in summer and up to 50 in autumn, because it needs hours of light and cloudy days make the wait longer.
How do I know if a dragon fruit is ripe?
When the skin has turned from green to red but the tips of the scales are still slightly green. That's the moment to pick it.
Is a bigger dragon fruit better?
No. The market wants fruit of 300 or 400 grams, and to get there you have to give it more fertiliser and more water, so it loses some of its sweetness.
Should I keep it in the fridge or out?
In the fridge. Our fellow farmer has kept them for almost two months: they get ugly on the outside, but stay perfect inside.
Can I eat it if the scales are dry?
Yes. It's like pomegranate: the skin spoils on the outside and the inside stays intact.
How do you eat it?
Cut in half, with a teaspoon. At the farmer's house, on its own or with Greek yogurt.
If you'd like to try one picked at its peak, here's our dragon fruit, harvested to order. And if you're curious about how it's grown, you'll enjoy the dragon fruit pollination process and the story of this tropical fruit that blooms in Spain.
