The answer to the question in the last post is Dragonfruit. The picture showed a field of dragonfruit plants being cultivated near the coastal area of Sepang in Malaysia. I like to thank the male readers for their imaginative contributions and suggestions which included specially modified rubber trees to mutated space aliens. My personal favorite was Mark's suggestion.
"This is a bootleg photo of the harsh conditions plants in plant prison experience. Locked down in their individual units only to have the breezes and light of day for succor. OH to be free!"
If I had a prize to give out, it would have been for your creative suggestion, Mark.
The ladies seem fixated on it being aloe vera plants. This was quite close to the truth as it is in fact from the cactus family. It is however a pitaya or a dragonfruit plant.
As the pictures show, the pulp can either be white or red. This strange plant is a actually a native of Mexico and South America but is cultivated widely also in South East Asia. It is touted as a health food which is rich in vitamins, roughage and anti-oxidants. All I am saying is that it makes a weird looking fruit drink and if you have too much, your urine can turn pink!
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I've heard they are wonderful but never had one. In fact, I've never even seen one. Hmmm.....
I see them for sale, more and more, at the local grocery store.
I haven't tried them.... because of all the seeds embedded in the fruit.. just a pain to eat, I would think.
Any suggestions on how to eat and by pass the seeds ? Is it tasty ?
Never seen or heard of them before.
Their colour is very attractive. Would love to taste them.
Wow what beautiful fruit! But you still never told us what the tires do :)
Oops I read your reply in the previous post AFTER I commented here.
Well shucks, I missed the last post. I would have said, "Plants on crutches." I guess pink pee might be scary, but what does it taste like?
claudia,
I think they look very pretty. The taste is a little disappointingly bland given the attractive packaging. It's fairly new in Malaysia too.
MSW
I find it more a feast for the eyes than for the mouth. Still it is gaining popularity as a fruit, as a salad ingredient and as a fruit drink. The pulp is soft and so is the seeds so you just eat the whole thing other than the skin.
*bowing to the raucous applause* "I'd like to thank the Squirrelly Academy..."
Whoda' thunk it was dragon fruit? I'd much prefer seeing the dragon that eats it.
marja,
The taste is quite mild (not a strong point) but health food afficiados focus on its high fibre, vitamin C, potassium and anti-oxidant levels.
janice,
For the benefit of all those who might have missed it, the plant needs some form of support. In this case, the farmer used some wood and tires. Others have used concrete culvert pipes (probably stolen from road construction sites) and PVC tubes.
geewits,
"Plants on crutches"! That is a good one.
They make a fruit drink out of this fruit and in some cases it comes out a vivid fuschia which almost seems to glow. I have seen people put off by the color and yes, pink pee can be disconcerting.
mark,
Self respecting dragons would never admit to being fruit eaters. Surely it is well known that macho dragons live on a staple diet of foolish knights.
I have seen them in the shops here,but never seen one cut open, nor tasted any.
It sure is a beautiful looking fruit. The Electric Orchid Hunter frequently blogs about interesting plants/fruits/nature. You'd probably like his blog. He's EOH on my blogroll.
meggie,
go on, try one and help support the Malaysian fruit industry!
claire,
The Electric Orchid Hunter? You seem to know some unique people.
Just what everybody needs, pink urine.
But what a luscious colour!
That looks absolutely delicious, Lone Grey. It's a fruit that I've never heard of before, and I thought I was pretty knowledgeable.
dr. john
They claim the fruit is good to ensure regularity.
molly,
It is a striking colour. Almost glowing!
ecd,
There really are a lot of fruits from around the world that many of us have yet to see. Some will eventually become mainline fruits.
I love Dragon Fruit, it can be bland tho so be wartned. you can eat the seeds like in a kiwi I think, and if you cube it and dip it in melted chocolate it makes a great nibble, like choc dipped strawbs. That's how the lady on the market reommended it be eaten.
I would love to eat that... it looks like it would be delicious. Is there any taste difference between the two colored fruits?
I'm looking at the way the leaves and stems intertwine and it lookd like they're reaching for someone...
I'm not so sure I'm that far off, you know.
hagelrat,
Wow. That's a really decadent way of eating that fruit. I like your style, Hagelrat!
tsduff,
I think there is not much difference in taste between the two types. Perhaps the red fleshed fruit is slightly stronger in flavor.
Blackcrag,
Like the rest of us males, you don't trust those twisting geeen parts.
The fruits put me in mind of the 'prickly pear' cactus fruit (opuntia)
The pink interior looks identical.
Prickly pears taste like... pears. Really.
oh, funny...I jumped here today from another blog and this is what I see! I've actually seen this fruit before. Not in real life. On another blog. The other bloggy person being from Hawaii. Not seen it in WisCANsin yet.
leslie,
It is in the cactus family so your observation is probably spot on. I remember trying prickly pear fruit once and I recall it had a stronger flavor than this dragon fruit.
cabcree,
Welcome to my humble blog. I happened to pass the dragon fruit farm, took some photos and it ended up here with this post. Don't be a stranger now.
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