What is the difference between pitaya and pitahaya?

In Mexico, pitaya traditionally designates the fruit of columnar cacti of the genus Stenocereus, Mexican, with fine spines and a short May-to-July season. Pitahaya or dragon fruit is the fruit of climbing cacti of the genus Hylocereus, with shiny scaly-looking pink skin, popularised globally. Both are Mesoamerican cacti, but botanically and commercially they are different.

What does pitaya taste like?

The traditional Mexican pitaya (Stenocereus) has very sweet creamy pulp, with notes reminiscent of a mixture of watermelon, kiwi and pear, sprinkled with small crunchy seeds. The red varieties are more intense and aromatic. The climbing pitahaya (Hylocereus) has softer, more delicate pulp, slightly sweet and refreshing, less intense than the Mexican one, with a subtle, almost neutral flavour in some varieties.

How is pitaya served?

It is generally served halved, eating the pulp with a spoon, or peeled and cut into cubes. It is also blended with water and a little sugar or lime to make agua de pitaya, prepared as sorbet, ice cream and lolly. In the Mixteca jams and aguas frescas are made; in Sonora, pitaya colonche, a traditional fermented drink. Contemporary chefs use it in cocktails and salads.

Where does pitaya come from?

Mexican pitayas (Stenocereus) are endemic to central-southern Mexico, mainly the Oaxaca-Puebla Mixteca, as well as Jalisco, Michoacán and other semi-arid regions. Pitahayas (Hylocereus) are also native to Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, although they are now grown globally. The name pitaya comes from Antillean Taíno, a Caribbean language brought by the Spaniards from the Antilles.

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Pitaya: cactus fruit, varieties and uses in Mexico

What is it?

The pitaya is one of the most spectacular and oldest fruits of Mexican cuisine: a fleshy cactus fruit, round or oval, with skin covered in small spiny scales and creamy inner pulp, juicy and full of small crunchy edible seeds. There are two main botanical groups under the name pitaya: true Mexican pitayas, fruits of columnar cacti of the genus Stenocereus, abundant in semi-arid regions such as Oaxaca, Puebla, Jalisco and Michoacán, with a May-July harvest; and pitahayas or climbing pitayas of the genus Hylocereus, known internationally as dragon fruit, which are also native to Mesoamerica but have become globally popular. Traditional Mexican pitayas come in varieties with white, red, yellow, purple and pink pulp, and are consumed fresh, in aguas frescas, lollies, jams, ice creams and, to a lesser extent, in salsas and traditional alcoholic drinks such as pitaya colonche.

Origin and history

Pitayas are fruits native to Mesoamerica with documented use since pre-Hispanic times. The name comes from Antillean Taíno, a Caribbean language that the Spaniards brought to the continent. The Nahuas and other peoples of central and southern Mexico knew the pitayas with various regional names and consumed them in their annual season as an important seasonal event. Francisco Hernández, in his Natural History of New Spain (16th century), documents several species of pitayas and their dietary and medicinal uses. The Mixteca Baja region in Oaxaca-Puebla is considered one of the centres of Stenocereus domestication, with ancient crops in towns such as Tehuacán, San Juan Raya and the Oaxacan Mixteca, where annual pitaya fairs are still held today. In the 20th century, the climbing pitahaya (Hylocereus) experienced a global commercial boom after its introduction to Vietnam, Israel and other countries, where it became a high-value export crop. Mexico has seen a resurgence of traditional pitaya cultivation (Stenocereus) and pitahaya (Hylocereus), with regions such as Jalisco, Quintana Roo and Yucatán joining production. CONABIO and SADER recognise the biocultural and economic importance of these cacti, particularly for food security in semi-arid areas and for the conservation of cultural landscapes.

Characteristic ingredients

The main genera and species are: Stenocereus pruinosus (pitaya de mayo, the main one cultivated in Oaxaca-Puebla, red or white pulp, sweet), Stenocereus queretaroensis (pitaya from Querétaro and Jalisco, red pulp, very sweet, ideal for agua fresca), Stenocereus stellatus (sour xoconostle de pitaya) and Stenocereus thurberi (sweet Sonoran pitaya). Climbing pitahayas include Hylocereus undatus (white pitahaya, white pulp with black seeds and pink skin, the most cultivated globally), Hylocereus costaricensis (intensely red-magenta pulp) and Hylocereus megalanthus (yellow pulp, native to South America). To prepare Mexican pitayas, the fine spines are removed by passing a cloth or burning them, they are halved and the pulp is eaten with a spoon, or they are peeled and cut into slices. The seeds are edible and provide crunchy texture. The pulp contains high levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, fibre and, in red-pulped varieties, betalains (powerful antioxidants that stain lips and tongue after eating). The traditional Mexican pitaya season is short, from May to July, which makes it an eagerly awaited seasonal gastronomic event. Modern pitahayas, on the other hand, are produced almost all year round.

Cultural significance

The pitaya is biocultural heritage of Mexico and one of the most symbolic fruits of the May season in the centre-south of the country. The Regional Pitaya Fair in Tehuacán, Puebla, is one of the most important seasonal gastronomic events of the Mixteca, attracting thousands of visitors every year. Towns such as San Juan Raya, San Antonio Texcala and others of the Puebla Mixteca have made pitaya cultivation their main economic activity, keeping alive traditional techniques of cultivation and trade. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes pitayas and other edible cacti as part of the gastronomic heritage. Economically, pitayas represent an alternative income in semi-arid areas where other crops do not prosper, and their added value in industrialised forms (jams, juices, ice creams, natural colourings, cosmetics) is growing. Modern cultivated pitahaya, especially in Yucatán and Quintana Roo, has become an export crop with growing markets in the United States, Asia and Europe. Researchers such as Pimienta-Barrios and others have documented the potential of pitayas as a crop of the future in the face of climate change, alongside the nopal and the maguey.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Dragon Fruit Water (Agua de Pitaya)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between pitaya and pitahaya?: In Mexico, pitaya traditionally designates the fruit of columnar cacti of the genus Stenocereus, Mexican, with fine spines and a short May-to-July season. Pitahaya or dragon fruit is the fruit of climbing cacti of the genus Hylocereus, with shiny scaly-looking pink skin, popularised globally. Both are Mesoamerican cacti, but botanically and commercially they are different.
What does pitaya taste like?: The traditional Mexican pitaya (Stenocereus) has very sweet creamy pulp, with notes reminiscent of a mixture of watermelon, kiwi and pear, sprinkled with small crunchy seeds. The red varieties are more intense and aromatic. The climbing pitahaya (Hylocereus) has softer, more delicate pulp, slightly sweet and refreshing, less intense than the Mexican one, with a subtle, almost neutral flavour in some varieties.
How is pitaya served?: It is generally served halved, eating the pulp with a spoon, or peeled and cut into cubes. It is also blended with water and a little sugar or lime to make agua de pitaya, prepared as sorbet, ice cream and lolly. In the Mixteca jams and aguas frescas are made; in Sonora, pitaya colonche, a traditional fermented drink. Contemporary chefs use it in cocktails and salads.
Where does pitaya come from?: Mexican pitayas (Stenocereus) are endemic to central-southern Mexico, mainly the Oaxaca-Puebla Mixteca, as well as Jalisco, Michoacán and other semi-arid regions. Pitahayas (Hylocereus) are also native to Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, although they are now grown globally. The name pitaya comes from Antillean Taíno, a Caribbean language brought by the Spaniards from the Antilles.