MANILA, Philippines?Belying its fearsome name, the dragon fruit is one of the most beautiful fruits, with its bright red color, thick, leathery skin with interesting flaps that are scale-like in appearance?similar to the scales of the mythological animal.

The flaps are strategically distributed all over the oval fruit which is as big as a man?s fist, more or less.

Scientifically named Hylocereus Undatus, this tropical plant belongs to the Cactaceae family, native to the Americas. This is the most popular cactus because of its edible fruits, which are also called strawberry pear, now sold in most supermarkets throughout the world.

The plant is also called Queen of the Night. This is because it blooms in the middle of the night and by 5 a.m., starts to wilt.

The flowers are large, even bigger than your open palm, somewhat white and creamy in color.

A hardy plant, it grows in any porous, well-drained soil. A rambler type, its stems are triangle, measuring 2?-3 inches across seemingly scalloped sides with short spines in every areoles. It branches through the areoles in two- to three-feet distance and anchors itself to any hardy material such as trunk of trees, rocks or concrete walls.

Three varieties

When planted solely, it should be supported with bamboo poles or better iron bars to let it clamber at least six feet above the ground.

This particular cactus bears flowers in May and June. By July to August, it may develop fruits which, when already bright red in color, can be harvested.

There are about three varieties?one variety has red flesh, another has white flesh, and still another has yellowish flesh.

Some say the one with red flesh is sweeter. All over the flesh are very tiny black seeds which can be eaten as well or, if you want to propagate, can be separated.

The dragon fruit is said to be nutritious, containing vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

It is said to lessen cholesterol. The flesh can be scooped with a spoon when you eat it. Should you prefer to take it as a cool drink you can make a dragon-fruit shake. The flowers, before they wilt, can be eaten as salad or cooked as vegetables.

Propagation can be easily done by stem cuttings. Keep this in mind not to plant them when newly cut. Have the cut parts first fully dried before planting.

Use a porous potting medium?one part garden soil, one part river sand, one part coco coir dust, one part rice hull and one part coarse perlite.

Place your plant in full sunlight and provide stakes or poles for the plant to climb on. Seeds can also be propagated, but they will take some years to flower. The cactus is succulent, so it needs not much watering.