These ones came from vietnam, but how crazy that is really native to central america and was brought to vietnam by the french.
The dragonfruit is native to Central America. According to Aztec literature, Pitahaya fruits date back to the 13th century. In Vietnam, where it is extensively grown, Pitaya fruit is known as thang loy. It is believed that the fruit was introduced to Vietnam by the French and today, the average yield per hectare is 20-25 tonnes.
More info can be found here:
I have had drinks that say they taste of dragon fruit, SOBE used to make a dragon fruit flavor with a dragon on the bottle. Often though juice and fruit don't taste the same, let alone some drink that claims the fruit..........
Oh wow, it is pretty cool: :::link::: Now I feel like I missed out.
Its not a cactus pear. I and the tortoise love cactus pears, which are called prickly pears here. This is much bigger, more the size of a software, softer and the outside has layered leaves like it is the base of some sort of palm plant.
I have had this before (only it was not called dragonfruit). It looks like the cactus pear from Mexico. It's mildly sweet, doesn't really smell like a pear and rather pleasant. If it is indeed the cactus pear, these must be old ones; the skin is a lot more tighter in fresh "fruits".