Dragon fruit is the common (
English) name for the fruit of the
cactus Hylocereus undatus. However, it is known as
pitaya or
pitajaya in its
native region of southern
North America through
Central America. Nowadays, it's also cultivated in
Southeast Asia,
Australia and
Israel.
Interestingly, Hylocereus undatus is an epiphyte which dangles from rocks and trees but also can grow from the soil. Like many other popular cacti, its flowers bloom at night. They are pollinated by bees and other insects near sunset and then by bats and moths in the dark.
Getting back to the fruit, the taste has been described as somewhat bland, and the flesh has many little edible black seeds (kind of like a kiwi). The main feature of this fruit is its wacky appearance. The main body being pink with little leaf-like green scales jutting off of its surface. So, it looks like a spiky little pink pineapple or some kind of spiny tropical fish.