Dragon fruit is often considered a tropical “super-food” because of its health benefits. It is also known as “pitaya” if it comes from the very closely related Stenographers genus. The actual dragon fruit is the fruit of the cactus genus Hylocereus. It has its origins in Mexico, South America, and Central America. New World settlers probably brought it to Southeast Asian nations like Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, where it is still an important part of the diet. 