Ecuador Yellow Palora

Store: Shulman Dragon Fruit Orchard • Moorpark, CA, US

Palora is a premier variety of yellow-skinned dragon fruit (Selenicereus megalanthus) originating from Ecuador, renowned for being one of the sweetest, juiciest, and most flavor-forward cultivars. It features vibrant yellow skin with small spines (which often fall off when ripe), white flesh, and a high Brix score (>20), often described as having a honey or light lemon flavor. 
Key Characteristics of Palora Yellow Dragon Fruit:

• Taste: Known as one of the sweetest dragon fruit varieties, described as sweet, juicy, with a honey or lemonade-like aftertaste.
• Appearance: The fruit is yellow, generally larger and rounder than the typical yellow Colombian variety, and has white flesh.
• Growth and Care: It is a vigorous, self-fertile, and fast-growing climbing cactus, though it can have a longer, slower maturation period for its fruit (up to 6 months) compared to other dragon fruits.
• Harvest Time: The fruit thrives in cooler, winter, or end-of-season conditions, with many in the Northern Hemisphere harvesting in winter or early spring.
• Spines: The fruit is spiky, but the thorns are easy to remove with a brush when ripe. 

Benefits:

• Superior Flavor: Often superior in taste to store-bought yellow dragon fruit.
• Self-Fertile: Does not require hand-pollination for fruit production.
• Hardy: The thick skin makes it highly resistant to rot. 
• Palora is widely considered a top choice for home gardeners looking for a high-quality yellow variety.