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Playing With Food

Playing With Dragon Fruit

By Fr. Ian Delinger
Published August 24, 2026 at 1:57 PM PDT
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The Shulman Dragon Fruit Farm in Moorpark
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The Shulman Dragon Fruit Farm in Moorpark
Fr. Ian Delinger
An up-close look at a dragon fruit plant.
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An up-close look at a dragon fruit plant.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Dragon fruit plants produce beautiful flowers!
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Dragon fruit plants produce beautiful flowers!
Fr. Ian Delinger
Some dragon fruit flowers have to be hand-pollinated; others are self-pollinating.
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Some dragon fruit flowers have to be hand-pollinated; others are self-pollinating.
Fr. Ian Delinger
If you look closely, you can see that there are flowers, baby fruit and almost mature fruit on the same plant. Dragon Fruit has three harvests.
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If you look closely, you can see that there are flowers, baby fruit and almost mature fruit on the same plant. Dragon Fruit has three harvests.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Four varieties were ready to eat: American Beauty (upper left), Laverne (upper right), Connie Mayer (lower left) Sugar Dragon (lower right).
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Four varieties were ready to eat: American Beauty (upper left), Laverne (upper right), Connie Mayer (lower left) Sugar Dragon (lower right).
Fr. Ian Delinger
The flesh of the different varietals were different, but all amazing! American Beauty (upper left), Sugar Dragon (upper right), Laverne (lower right), Connie Mayer (lower left)
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The flesh of the different varietals were different, but all amazing!
American Beauty (upper left), Sugar Dragon (upper right), Laverne (lower right), Connie Mayer (lower left)
Fr. Ian Delinger
Alik Shulman in the greenhouse with the shoots of dragon fruit plants.
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Alik Shulman in the greenhouse with the shoots of dragon fruit plants.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Alik Shulman in his dragon fruit shirt next to his labor of blood, sweat and tears.
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Alik Shulman in his dragon fruit shirt next to his labor of blood, sweat and tears.
Fr. Ian Delinger

The dragon fruit is a cactus and succulent native to Central America – from Southern Mexico to El Salvador. They are now grown in places with similar climates, like Vietnam and Australia. And … you guessed it … right here on the Central Coast.

PWF - Dragon Fruit.mp4

Playing With Food
Fr. Ian Delinger
Fr. Ian Delinger hosts "Playing with Food," a monthly segment on "Issues & Ideas" that explores unique ways of looking at and preparing everyday foods on the California Central Coast.
See stories by Fr. Ian Delinger
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