Dragonfruit: meet the plants

Dragonfruit grows on a cactus-like plant, and the flowers bloom at night. The most likely pollintors are moths or bats (perhaps the Hawaiian Hoary Bat?)!

These plants thrive in tropical climates, and yes, they grow terrifically in Hawaii! The growing process can be a fascinating science lesson for children, touching on topics like plant biology, weather, and even lunar cycles (the moon’s phases can affect the flowering of the plant).

Grow your own by putting a cut piece of the stem in soil or save the seeds and plant them. To save the seeds, squish the fruit through a mesh strainer (or put in the blender on low with some water). Plant the seeds or dry them on a plate to gift them to others or plant later.

When growing dragonfruit, make sure you have something sturdy to hold up the cactus vines!

Preparing dragonfruit is simple:

1. Cut the fruit in half lengthwise.
2. Remove the peel with your fingers or use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.
3. Dice the flesh into bite-sized pieces.

**Tip**: You can also keep the outer skin to serve as a colorful bowl for serving the fruit or other dishes.

When doing a dragonfruit taste test with preschoolers, offer a large piece where they can remove the peel and slice on their own. It is very soft so they can use a nylon, plastic, or steel butter knife. Alternatively, provide small bite-sized pieces. Preparing their own food often increases the likelihood of them tasting it!

Invite the children to describe what they taste. Is it sweet? Is it crunchy? What other fruits does it remind them of? Compare the flavors of different types of dragonfruit. I’ve found that the pink is a bit more like perfume and the white is sweeter. Use this activity to explore their senses and vocabulary. 

## Recipe Ideas

### Dragonfruit Smoothie or Smoothie Bowl

1. 1 cup dragonfruit cubes
2. 1 banana
3. 1 cup of milk (or a non-dairy alternative)
4. A handful of ice
5. Blend 
6. Top with fresh fruit, granola, nuts and seeds, etc. 

### Dragonfruit and Yogurt Parfait

1. Layer dragonfruit cubes and yogurt in a cup.
2. Add a dollop of honey and a sprinkle of granola for crunch.

### Dragonfruit Salad

1. Mix dragonfruit cubes with other tropical fruits like pineapple and mango.
2. Drizzle with a little honey and a squeeze of lime.