Dragon fruit or pitaya is a cactus plant fruit which consists of three types. The skin can be red or yellow. Varieties with red skin have white or red flesh, while those with yellow skin have white flesh. For either type, you can determine if the fruit is ripe by looking at or holding the fruit before eating it. If you are growing dragon fruit, harvest the fruit at the right time so that the fruit is fully ripe.
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Method 1 of 3: Determining the Ripe of a Dragon Fruit by Seeing It
Step 1. Look for red or yellow dragon fruit
The unripe dragon fruit is green. The outer skin of the dragon fruit will change color with increasing maturity until it becomes yellow or red depending on the variety.
Ripe dragon fruit has a light and even skin. If you find lots of dark patches on the skin, similar to bruises on an apple, chances are the dragon fruit is overripe. However, dark patches like this are normal if only a few are found
Step 2. Check to see if the "petals" of the skin are starting to wilt
Dragon fruit skin petals are the part of the skin that sticks out. If these petals start to dry out, brown, and wilt, the dragon fruit is ripe and ready to eat. On the other hand, if the color of the tips of the petals still looks fresh (red or yellow), it means that the fruit is not ripe and needs a little more time to ripen.
After the dragon fruit reaches the stage of maturity when the petals wither, the dragon fruit will be easy to pick from the tree. However, if the fruit falls off the stem on its own, it is too ripe
Step 3. Slice the dragon fruit
The inside of a dragon fruit is usually white, dark pink, or purple depending on the variety, and contains many small black seeds. These tiny black seeds are edible and look like kiwi fruit seeds. The texture of dragon fruit is firm, but looks juicy when ripe, similar to a cross between a melon and a pear.
Overripe dragon fruit flesh will turn brown, similar to the color of a bruised banana. Do not eat fruit that is brown or dried out
Method 2 of 3: Determining the Ripe of the Dragon Fruit by Touching it
Step 1. Gently press the dragon fruit with your thumb
Place the dragon fruit in your palm, then press it with your fingers or thumb. The texture should be soft but not soggy. If it's too mushy, the fruit is probably too ripe. If hard, the fruit will still need a few more days to ripen.
- Use this method only if you are harvesting the dragon fruit you planted. Pressing dragon fruit can leave marks on the skin, which is a disservice to the seller or other potential buyers if you do it on merchandise in stores.
- You can buy or harvest dragon fruit that is not fully ripe and then let it sit for a few days at room temperature. In a few days, this dragon fruit will ripen on its own. Test for doneness by pressing the peel daily.
Step 2. Look for defects or damage to the skin
Dragon fruit skin can be damaged due to mishandling or transportation. For example, if not packaged properly when transported, dragon fruit will collide with each other. Bruising on the fruit can also occur as a result of falling fruit. Mistakes like this will leave marks on the fruit and make the fruit smaller and shrivel due to loss of moisture.
Check each side of the fruit and do not buy fruit that is cracked, open, or damaged
Step 3. Avoid fruit with dried stems
Dried fruit stalks indicate that the fruit is too ripe. Touch the fruit to see if the stems are rotting, shriveling, and drying out.
Method 3 of 3: Harvesting Dragon Fruit at the Right Time
Step 1. Harvest the dragon fruit when it is almost fully ripe
Dragon fruit, unlike other fruits, will not ripen after harvest, so it must be harvested before it is fully ripe.
- Dragon fruit is ready to be harvested when the color has changed from green to yellow or red.
- The small sticking out side of the fruit (also known as the petal) will also begin to fade or turn brown as the fruit ripens.
- You can also determine maturity by counting the days after the tree blooms. Usually the fruit ripens at least after 27 to 33 days after the plant blooms.
- The right time to harvest is four days after the skin color of the fruit changes. However, for export purposes, it is important to harvest a bit earlier, about a day after the skin changes color.
Step 2. Remove the prickly parts before picking them
You can remove the thorns with scissors, brush them, or pick them with gloves. As the fruit ripens, the thorns should start to come off so it won't be difficult to remove. However, always wear gloves just in case because these spiked parts are very sharp.
Step 3. Pick the dragon fruit by twisting it
When the dragon fruit is ripe and ready to be harvested, the dragon fruit can be picked easily by twisting it several times. If you have to pull hard, chances are that the fruit isn't ready to be harvested yet.
