Pitaya (Stenocereus)
The pitaya, also known as coapetilla, is a fruit of the genus Stenocereus from the family Cactaceae, coming from the columnar cactus with the same name. It is related to the dragon fruit,[1][2] also called pitaya, in the same family but in the genus Selenicereus.[3][4] According to Eulogio Pimienta-Barrios, "The name pitaya originated in the Antilles and meant scaly fruit."[5] Stemming from pre-Hispanic times, the old Aztec name "Coapetilla" (lit. transl. thick serpent) refers to pitaya, but its usage has declined.[5]
Cultivation
It is grown as an ornamental plant and an agricultural plant for its fruit.[3][6]
Range
Although this fruit and cactus is known as "pitaya" in Mexico, this group of cacti are distributed from Arizona in the US, Mexico, Central America, to the north of South America in Venezuela and Colombia.[3]
Species
One of the most well known species is Stenocereus thurberi, called "pitaya dulce" (transl. sweet pitaya) (in the northeast of Mexico, especially in Sinaloa and Sonora), with a reddish skin and a red-cherry pulp. However, many other species of the genus Stenocereus are enjoyed in other parts of Mexico, such as Stenocereus pruinosus, S. griseus, S. queretaroensis, and S. stellatus along with others.[6]
Properties
The pitaya has antioxidants, ascorbic acid, and phenols. It is rich in Vitamin C, and also has vitamins in group B, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, as well as high water content, vegetable protein, and soluble fiber. [7][8] The pigments in the pitaya that give it its range of colors have antioxidants, like carotenoids, flavonoids, and betalains. They also have anti-inflammatory properties."[7][8]
Stenocereus thurberi ranges from 78-84% water, with 34.4 to 38.0 grams of fiber per kilogram. The sugars go from 8.1 g/100g to 15.5g/100g. It has minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper.[8]
References
- ↑ "Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit)". Invasive Species Compendium. CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International). 3 January 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ↑ Morton JF (1987). "Strawberry pear, Hylocereus undatus Britt. and Rose; Cereus undatus Haw.; In: Fruits of Warm Climates". Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University. pp. 347–348. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Pitaya y Pitahaya: ¿no son lo mismo, pero son igual?". Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ↑ Janick, Jules; Paull, Robert E., eds. (2008). "C". The Encyclopedia of Fruit and Nuts. Cambridge, United Kingdom: CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International). pp. 215–216, 222–226. ISBN 978-0-85199-638-7.
- 1 2 Pimienta-Barrios, Eulogio; Nobel, Park S.; Robles-Murguía, Celia; Mendez-Moran, Lucila; Pimienta-Barrios, Enrique; Yepez-Gonzalez, Enrico (1997-01-01). "Ethnobotany, Productivity, and Ecophysiology of Pitaya (Stenocereus queretaroensis)". Journal of the Professional Association for Cactus Development. 2: 29–47. doi:10.56890/jpacd.v2i.180. ISSN 1938-6648.
- 1 2 "Acciones y Programas Archivo". Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- 1 2 Noriega-Juarez, Alma Delia; Nolasco-Gonzalez, Yolanda; Arellano-Machuca, Oswaldo Alejandro; Montoya-Carvajal, Diego Rafael; Lopez-Romero, Brandon Alexis; Navarro-Mendoza, Javier Alberto; Montalvo-Gonzalez, Efigenia (2025). "Mexican Fruits of the Stenocereus Genus: Characterization, Physicochemical, Nutritional, and Content of Bioactive Compounds". Compounds. 5 (4): 55. doi:10.3390/compounds5040055.
- 1 2 3 Hinojosa-Gomez, Jeny; Muy-Rangel, Maria D. (2024-08-15). "Physicochemical characterization and bioactive compounds in pitaya (Stenocereus thurberi) fruits of four colors". TIP Revista Especializada en Ciencias Quimico-Biologicas (in Spanish). 26 (1): 1–9. ISSN 2395-8723.
See also
