Quote:
Originally Posted by Jananas Bananas
Have you tasted a lot of them Richard? Which do you think tastes good?
~JaNan
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In double-blind taste tests, the Hylocereus guatemalensis species is consistantly #1 for taste against all other Dragon Fruit species and cultivars. When ripe, both the skin and the fruit are a deep red. A popular selection of this plant sold by individuals and nurseries is "American Beauty". In blind taste tests, the fruit of collected H. guatemalensis species is not distinguishable from American Beauty.
The thick-skinned Hylocereus polyrhizus is sweet but somewhat bland to "European" tastes. It is popular among peoples who are not accustom to fruits with acid flavors -- for example, a portion of the east Asia peoples consider apricots a sour, inedible fruit.
The white-fleshed Hylocereus undatus species usually does not fare well in double-blind taste tastes, but again is popular among peoples who do not enjoy acid flavors in their fruits. For "European" tastes, the cultivar "Thomson" developed by CRFG founder Paul Thomson is considered the best tasting among them.
The red-skin-and-flesh fruit of Hylocereus ocamponis is not widely available. To make matters worse, internet sellers offering this plant are typically providing H. polyrhizus instead. Another blow to its use are serious spines 1/2" to 1" in length. I have a three year-old plant which I hope to have set fruit this year. Otherwise, I have not tasted the fruit. It is said to be comparable to H. guatemalensis.
Among the hybrid cultivars, the pink-purple fleshed Physical Graffiti is very popular and occasionally places #2 or #3 in double-blind taste tests. Its parentage includes selections of H. undatus and H. polyrhizus.
I have tasted Selenicereus megalanthus, the "Yellow Dragon Fruit" -- from plants grown here locally in southern California and also picked from plants in Columbia and flown in overnight. The fruit of the latter is very good, but the fruit grown locally is a bit disappointing.