Richard

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.

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Jananas Bananas

Thanks Richard.

I have American Beauty, Guyute (Hylocereus undatus) , Natural Mystic (Hylocereus polyrhizus X H. undatus), Purple Haze (Hylocereus undatus) supposed to have a pleasant grape, kiwi-like flavor (description from seller - I am really hoping this one is very tasty), and an unknown from a trade. I have only tasted the white flesh from the Asian market. It was very mild, but I liked it.

Dang Patty, I was hoping that was going to be the best tasting fruit you ever ate! It sure looked pretty though.

I think I may have a bud forming on one of the Purple Haze (I hope I am not jinxing it!). It is very round and looks like a pea. Once it gets a little bigger I will get a shot of it. It may turn out to be another branch, but it doesn't look like the others. Fingers crossed!

~JaNan

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sunfish

5 months and still o sign of ripening

Yug

They're not rare here (HI), there are some growing wild near my garden. My neighbor has red and yellow ones. The blooms are gorgeous.

Richard

I met a CRFG member from the coastal Los Angeles area whose yellow dragon fruits take 9 months to ripen.

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sunfish

That's a long time

The Hollyberry Lady

Richard

With regard to Yellow Dragon Fruit:

It is more tropical than the others, so here in southern CA it takes 9 months instead of the 9 weeks in the tropics. Compare that to the red or white species that ripen here in about 45 days.

The fresh ones that are ripened in Ecuador and then flown in are excellent, but the ones grown here that I've tasted have been marginal. However, the people growing them already knew that, but nothing was going to stop them in their fruit craziness from trying to grow it

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sunfish

Lots of plants only have one crop a year.What difference does it make how long the fruit takes to ripen.

Richard

True, Citrus and Avocado can take 14-18 months.

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sunfish

Dean W.

I can't get over how fast this stuff grows given a little warmth.

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supermario

I expect to get some fruit from my American Beauty plant this year. I tasted some fruit from the "mother" plant and it was outstanding. I have to agree that although very tasty, the dragon fruit that I tasted while visiting Nicaragua were larger and sweeter. The interior and exterior were identical to American Beauty, so I think it is the same. However, I can never know for sure.

That being said, of the localy available varieties that I've sampled(south Florida).. American Beauty and David Bowie are my favorite. They American Beauty is sweet, juicy, and generally tastes like what you would expect a "fruit" to taste like..if that makes any sense. The David Bowie has a hint of lemon and coconut flavor IMO. I've tried several others and while I like them all, the flavor of the above mentioned two types were the most concentrated. A fruit of inferior quality just tastes like a watered down icey.

supermario

Hey Dean! Long time no see. How are the American Beauty cuttings coming along?

Dean W.

They're growing Fast!!! Good to see you posting!

Maybe this year I'll get fruit. I made a burlap and bamboo trellis so it can climb a top my greenhouse. This was earlier in the year so it's grown more.

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supermario

Awesome! I'll post a pic of mine tomorrow afternoon. It's a big overgrown mess, but no flowers yet.

I'm contemplating purchasing a David Bowie cutting, but I would have to build a different structure along my wooden fence.

I haven't had much time lately and I'm pretty busy with the rest of my trees since they are all in bloom. I should have more fruit than I can handle this summer!

Richard

Exactly. Thank you very much for mentioning "David Bowie", we have never seen this cultivar out here in taste trials. I'm going to start one!

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Want Them All

Why is it named David Bowie? Is this the musician?

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Willow87

Here are some cuttings I got from Dean

supermario

I have no idea why they call it David Bowie. I tried google, but found nothing.

Here is a picture of my 'American Beauty' plant in June of last year:


Here is a picture of it today: