Dragon fruit’s an antioxidant-rich tropical fruit. While many times when thinking of dragon fruit we associate it with Southeast Asia, dragon fruit actually originated in South America.
The closest relative to the dragon fruit is the cactus fruit (or prickly pears or papaya).
Dragon fruit comes in several different varieties. You can find variations in the color of their outer skin and the flesh inside.
Does the Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) Really Exist in Green and Blue Flesh?
You can find dragon fruit that has either green or blue flesh. One of these colors is an indicator that your dragon fruit is unripe, while the other is found in a rare type of dragon fruit. While you may stumble across both, it is important to know which one is ready to eat, and which one needs a little bit more time.
Dragon Fruit Colors
While it is widely circulated that you can find either royal blue or emerald green dragon fruit, that is not the case. Dragon fruit flesh can come in shades of white, yellow, purple, or red.
While some of these colors can be close to green or blue, they are light or similar shades of those colors.
When it comes to determining the color of the flesh of the dragon fruit, you can be at a loss. The good news is, if you are growing your own dragon fruit there are certain characteristics of the plant that can help you determine the color of the flesh.
If you are growing dragon fruit, plants that have thornier stems along their flowers tend to produce dragon fruit with darker flesh. Whereas, if you have fewer thorny stems and lighter skin, you are more likely to get yellow-green flesh.
Like most fruits and vegetables, different colors have different nutritional benefits. The darker the dragon fruit is, the more antioxidants that you gain from eating the fruit.
Some of the most common variants of dragon fruit that are mistaken for blue, due to their deep purple color, are American Beauty, Physical Graffiti, Purple Haze, Hailey’s Comet, Cosmic Charlie, and Tomsead.
While these variants can be hard to find in stores, I found that growing them is a rewarding experience.
You’ll then have a better picture of the flavor profile in relation to the color of the flesh.
Green is another color of dragon fruit that is often exaggerated. The color that would be the closest to green would be the flesh inside of yellow dragon fruit.
The flesh is by definition white, but it can have a slight yellow/green tint to it.
Different Dragon Fruit Flavors
Depending on what flavor you are looking for, the color of the flesh makes a difference. If you have flesh that is closer to a blue or purple, the flavor will be more powerful.
Oftentimes, these variants of dragon fruit are used as additions to items like smoothies, cocktails, or fruit salads. When it comes to dragon fruit, a little bit goes a long way.
Dragon Fruit, a Sweet Superfood
Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit renowned not only for its unique flavor, as well for its health benefits. Dragon fruit’s a great source of fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants and probiotics.
It’s great for both the immune system and digestion.
The dragon fruit with dark red, almost magenta, skin’s the most common type available. Once you cut into it, you will find white flesh with black seeds.
This variety of dragon fruit is by far the sweetest. There are 3 different dragon fruit species, which include several different varieties.
So can you find dragon fruit that has green or blue flesh?
While the flesh of the dragon fruit may not be the shade of green or blue that you are thinking of, they come close. There are several different varieties of dragon fruit that have a deep purple, almost blue color.
You can also find varieties that have flesh that could be considered green. The yellow dragon fruit hides a light green flesh beneath its exterior.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon Fruits with Green or Blue Flesh
Can I eat a dragon fruit that has green skin?
In most varieties of dragon fruit, green skin is a sign that it is unripe. However, there are some varieties of dragon fruit that have a dark yellow color that mirrors a light green.
Which color of dragonfruit is best?
When it comes to selecting dragon fruit by color, preference for sweetness matters. The most popular color of dragon fruit is the red dragon fruit. This variation has a deep red outside and a white fleshy inside that is peppered with black seeds. This dragon fruit variety’s the sweetest.
How do I tell if my dragon fruit is ripe or not?
You don’t need to feel or cut into the dragon fruit to see if it is ripe. If your dragon fruit has skin that is green or has splotches of lighter color, it is unripe. You know that your dragon fruit is ripe when it is an even color. Cutting into it earlier means that your flesh will not have the chance to fully ripen.
In Conclusion
Dragon fruit comes in many colors. With each color, you get a varying level of taste and sweetness.
You can find dragon fruit that has either green or blue flesh in addition to the well-known white flesh. However, these variations are more sought after and can be harder to find.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.