These two colorful fruits look pretty similar at first glance. Knowing the spiky exterior of prickly pear versus the smooth, scaled exterior of dragon fruit (or Pitaya fruit) helps you pick the right one at the store! 

While both fruits are delicious, if you’re comparing the flavor and texture of prickly pear vs dragon fruit, they have distinct characteristics and can be used in different ways.

Can Humans Eat Cactus Fruits?

A cactus is a succulent plant with a thick, fleshy stem. It is usually covered in spines and lacks leaves. Cacti produce vibrant flowers and are native to deserts around the world.

For thousands of years, indigenous people in these dry areas have used cacti as food and medicine. While some cacti are harmful, others are safe to eat and common in certain cultures. The nopales dish, which comes from the prickly pear, is very common in Mexico and in Mexican restaurants around the world.

The five most common types of edible cactus plants are:

• Dragon fruit (also called Pitaya)
• Prickly pear
• Barrel
• Cholla
• Saguaro

So it’s definitely safe to say prickly pear and dragon fruit are indeed cousins. 

What is the Difference Between Prickly Pear vs Dragon Fruit? 

If you live in an area where either of these desert fruits is rare, it may be hard to tell them apart. Both the prickly pear and dragon fruit belong to the cactus family, Cactaceae, which thrives in dry places and offers delicious fruits with numerous health benefits. But what sets them apart? Their origins, characteristics, flavor profile, preparation methods, culinary uses, and more.

Where They Come From

Prickly pear cactus, or Opuntia, is known for its tasty fruit and colorful flowers. This cactus has about 150 species and is one of the oldest cactus groups. It has the widest range of any cactus in the United States, found in New Mexico, Montana, Florida, and Massachusetts.

Dragon fruit, on the other hand, has the scientific name Hylocereus undatus. There are two types: one is sour (some call it sour pitaya, but it has a lot of names!), found throughout South America and Central America, and the other is sweet. They are also cultivated around East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

How They Are Cultivated

Both prickly pear and dragon fruit love warm, dry climates and need well-draining soil and lots of sunlight to grow. But if you’re planning on cultivating them, you have to know exactly what they need to produce fresh fruit. 

Prickly Pear Cultivation:

You can start prickly pear from seeds, but it takes 3-4 years to produce flowers and fruits. A faster way is to use a container-grown plant or root pad. Let the cut pad heal for a week, then plant it in sandy soil in spring or early summer. You’ll need to water young plants in their first year. After that, they’re super drought-tolerant.

• Tropical prickly pear grows huge and has white, yellow, or red flowers.
• Hardy prickly pear blooms yellow in summer.

Dragon Fruit Cultivation:

Just like prickly pear, dragon fruit can be grown from seeds or cuttings. Seeds sprout in 2-3 weeks and can be potted. Some say it’s best to grow dragon fruits from cuttings. You just need to keep it in a bright, shady spot until roots form, then move it to the sun.

A ripe dragon fruit is ready about a month after flowering. Look for bright, even color and slightly withered wings. Press gently, and if it gives a little, it’s ready to pick. The skin isn’t edible, and it has kiwi-like seeds. 

Physical Characteristics

Knowing the origins and cultivation methods of these fruits is just the start. Understanding their physical characteristics helps you handle them safely, pick them at the perfect time, prepare them properly, and avoid any unpleasant surprises!

• Paddles: Like all cacti, prickly pears and dragon fruits lack leaves. Instead, they have spines that grow from bumps on their stems. A prickly pear fruit grows off of a paddle cactus that is often oval and flattened, ranging from green to blue-gray. They stop growing during dry seasons and sprout new pads when the rain returns.
• Spines: Both can be spiny, but there’s an even bigger difference here. Prickly pear pads and fruit have tiny hair-like thorns called glochids, which easily detach and can stick to skin or other soft surfaces. Dragon fruit plants also have sharp spines, though they’re generally less aggressive than those on other cacti.
• Flowers: Prickly pear flowers are unmistakable, large, and colorful, ranging from yellow, orange, and red to pink and purple, and bloom in spring. Dragon fruit flowers are huge and white, opening at night to attract bats, which pollinate the plant. After pollination, the fruit begins to form at the base of the flower.
• Fruit: Prickly pear fruit is pear-shaped and spiny, available in colors like red, purple, orange, yellow, and green, with green prickly pear being the most common variety. The color of the flesh is deep red-purple and is often diced or eaten whole as “prickly pears” or “tunas.” Prickly pears are usually about two to three inches long, but larger fruits can grow up to five inches. Dragon fruit, on the other hand, is eye-catching with its bright red, purple, or yellow skin and prominent scales. It varies in shape from oval to pear-shaped, typically growing between 10 and 15 cm in diameter for decently-sized fruit. Inside, it can have red or white flesh dotted with tiny black seeds.

Nutritional Profile

The main similarity between prickly pear and dragon fruit is they are both loaded with nutrients and potential health benefits.

Prickly Pears Nutrition

Prickly pears are rich in fiber and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Just one cup of raw prickly pear contains:

• Calories: 61
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Protein: 1 gram
• Carbohydrates: 14 grams
• Fat: 1 gram

Prickly pears contain a host of antioxidants, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments, which help prevent oxidative damage caused by free radicals. They also contain magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin C, which are essential for healthy blood pressure and immune system function.

Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) Nutrition

Dragon fruit is low in calories yet high in fiber and antioxidants. In a serving of 100 grams of dragon fruit, you’ll find:

• Calories: 57
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Protein: 0.36 grams
• Carbohydrates: 15 grams
• Fat: 0.14 grams

Dragon fruit is also rich in antioxidants, including betalains, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids, which help protect against free radical damage, particularly to fatty acids. This tropical fruit is also a good source of iron and magnesium. According to research, dragon fruit seeds contain healthy fats, including omega-3 as well as omega-9 fatty acids, and natural oils.

Taste and Texture

Although they may look similar, prickly pear tastes different from dragon fruit. 

Prickly Pear Flavor

Prickly pear fruits are sweet, and their flavor is often compared to melon or kiwi, with a tinge of strawberry and possibly even a bit of a bubblegum-like taste. You can eat them raw after peeling the outer skin, but some prefer to have them in smoothies, jams, drinks, or syrups. Notably, they can have a slightly gritty texture due to tiny black seeds embedded throughout the flesh.  

Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) Flavor

There are both sour and sweet varieties of dragon fruit, with the sour one having a tart yet sweet flavor.

Unripe dragon fruit doesn’t have much flavor to write home about. But when it’s ripe, its texture is soft like a ripe kiwi, offering a mild taste, which other people describe as a refreshing kiwi or pear-like taste. This includes the famous red-skinned, white-fleshed fruit and the purple or red one that’s popular in “superfood” powders. Dragon fruit is also nicknamed the “strawberry pear.”

How Do You Prepare These Fruits to Eat?

How to Prepare Prickly Pear

Eating a prickly pear is trickier than eating dragon fruit. 

First, you need to remove the glochids (spines) for safe handling. If you bought them from a store, they’re usually already removed, but if not, burn them off over an open flame using tongs or a fork to hold the fruit (be extra careful!).

Then, slice off about a quarter inch from each end of the fruit, cut the skin lengthwise about a quarter inch deep, and peel it off to reveal the pear-shaped fruit inside. Slice it up and eat it.

Its small, thicker seeds can be swallowed or spit out. If you’re like the others who want to eat it without the seeds, a juicer or strainer can help remove them. Some even make prickly pear margaritas!

How to Prepare Dragon Fruit (Pitaya)

Dragon fruit might look intimidating, but it’s super easy to eat.

Just pick a ripe red dragon fruit (or a yellow dragon fruit; you have plenty of choices) with evenly colored pink skin, where the interior flesh breaks slightly when you squeeze it.

Cut it in half with a sharp knife, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

There’s also another way: peel off the skin and slice the pulp into pieces. You can enjoy it as is, but you can never go wrong with being creative.

Add it to yogurt, toss it into a salad, or make a smoothie bowl.

Which Fruit Should You Pick?

If you’re looking for a unique and potentially more affordable option with a sweeter flavor, ripe prickly pears might be your pick.  Just be ready for a bit of prep work!

For a quick and easy taste of the exotic, go for dragon fruit. It has a striking appearance, minimal spines, easy-to-peel outer skin, and small, edible seeds, making it the go-to for smooth eating. Its flavor is sweet, like a very mild cross between kiwi and pear. Even better, due to its popularity and ease of cultivation, you can easily find it at the grocery store. 

But why choose? Enjoy both!