Dragon Fruit, Jarritos and Perrier: Three Surprising Facts Behind Your Santa Clarita Order
, by "Sarah Faneh", 9 min reading time
Does dragon fruit really grow on a cactus? What does Jarritos actually mean? Where does Perrier come from? Three surprising facts behind items you can order at Clean River Juice Bar in Santa Clarita.
Most of us order a smoothie or a cold drink without stopping to wonder where it came from or why it has the name it does. But a few items on the Clean River Juice Bar menu in Santa Clarita carry stories that are far more interesting than they first appear. A fruit with a scaly pink skin turns out to be the fruit of a cactus. A popular Mexican soda has a name that describes the shape of its original bottle. And a sparkling water that many people think of as a fancy restaurant drink starts at a spring in the south of France. If you have ever searched for answers like does dragon fruit grow on a cactus, what does Jarritos mean, or where does Perrier come from, this post walks through each one so you can enjoy your next order with a little extra trivia on the side.
Does Dragon Fruit Grow on a Cactus?
Yes, it does. Dragon fruit, also called pitaya or pitahaya, grows on a plant in the cactus family. That surprises many people, because when we picture a cactus we tend to imagine a spiky desert plant standing upright in the sand. The plant behind dragon fruit looks quite different. It is a vine like cactus with long, fleshy green stems that climb, and the fruit hangs from those stems once it ripens. The fruit itself is an oblong berry with a thick skin covered in scales, usually red or yellow on the outside, with flesh that can be white, red, or magenta and dotted with very small black seeds.
A Climbing Cactus With Aerial Roots
Plant references describe dragon fruit plants as fast growing, perennial cacti that are often epiphytic, which means they can grow while clinging to something else, such as a tree or a support. They do this with aerial roots that grow out of the stems and grip whatever is nearby. This is why you will often see the plants trained up posts or trellises on farms and in home gardens. Their growing habit is closer to a climbing vine than to the barrel-shaped cactus most people have in mind.
Flowers That Open at Night
The plant has another trick that makes the story even better. Its flowers are very large, very fragrant, and they bloom at night. According to growing guides, the blossoms begin to open around early evening and are usually finished by late at night, and they begin to wilt in the small hours of the morning. Some close relatives are nicknamed the queen of the night and the belle of the night because of this habit. So the next time you see a dragon fruit, remember that it started life as one of those enormous white flowers that most people never get to see open.
Where Dragon Fruit Comes From
Dragon fruit is native to the tropical Americas, with southern Mexico, Central America, and parts of northern South America named as part of its home range. It is now grown in many warm regions around the world, which is why you can find it in grocery stores and on smoothie menus far from where it first grew.
Dragon Fruit at Clean River
At Clean River Juice Bar, dragon fruit shows up in the Dragon-Berry smoothie, which pairs it with berries for a mild and slightly tart flavor. It is one of six smoothies on the smoothie menu, and now you will know that the pink fruit in your cup came from a climbing cactus that blooms at night.
What Does Jarritos Mean?
Jarritos is a Spanish word that means little jars. The name is not random, and it is not a flavor or a place. It describes the bottle. According to the brand's own history, Jarritos was started by Francisco Hill in Mexico in 1950, and his glass bottle resembled the clay water jugs that are common throughout Mexico. Those small clay jugs are known by the same name, so the soda simply borrowed the word for the container it looked like.
Little Jars in Spanish
If you know a little Spanish, you can see how the word is built. The ending ito or itos makes a word small, much like how people say gatito for a little cat, so Jarritos becomes the little jars. It is a friendly, affectionate sort of name, which fits a soda that so many people associate with tacos, family gatherings, and easy afternoons.
The Clay Jug Behind the Bottle
The clay jug connection is a good reminder that a name often tells you what something looked like or how it was used. Before bottled drinks were everywhere, a clay jug was a normal way to keep water at home in Mexico, so a bottle that echoed its shape would have felt familiar. The brand's history also notes that tamarind was one of the early flavors, which it describes as the first tamarind soda, and that fruit flavors followed as the drink grew in popularity.
Jarritos at Clean River
Clean River carries Jarritos in Guava, Pineapple, Tamarind, Lime, and Mandarin, so you can try a few of those fruit flavors with your lunch. You will find them alongside the other drinks on the beverages menu, and the next time you pick one up, you will know the name is a nod to the little clay jugs that inspired the bottle.
Where Does Perrier Come From?
Perrier comes from Vergèze, a small town in the Gard department in the south of France. The water is tied to a particular spring there, and that spring is a big part of the brand's story. Perrier is known around the world for its green bottle and its lively bubbles, and many people have sipped it without realizing it started at one specific place.
A Spring in Vergèze, France
The spring was originally known as Les Bouillens, a name that is often translated as the bubbles. That is a fitting name for a spring where gas rises through the water. The area has a long history. Perrier's own account says legend holds that Hannibal drank there while marching toward Rome in 218 BC, and that the Romans built the first baths at the source in 58 BC. In 1863 a decree signed by Napoleon III authorized the use of the spring, and in 1898 Dr Louis Perrier took over the site and bottled the water. The spring was later renamed Source Perrier by St John Harmsworth.
Bubbles Older Than Anyone Can Count
According to Perrier, the water and the bubbles come together deep underground, where rainwater meets gas of volcanic origin. The brand says this pairing has been creating bubbles for about 120 million years. That is an enormous span of time, far longer than any soda company, or even any civilization, has existed, and it explains why the spring has attracted attention for so long.
How the Bubbles End Up in the Bottle
Published accounts explain that the water and the natural gas are collected separately from the spring, and that the gas is added back during bottling so the bubbles in the bottle match the level found at the source. It is a detail that surprises people who assume the fizz simply arrives with the water. It is also a good example of how a simple looking drink can have a surprisingly careful process behind it.
Perrier at Clean River
Perrier is another item on the same beverages menu at Clean River Juice Bar, so if you prefer something crisp and sparkling next to your sandwich, it is there when you place your order. It makes a nice contrast with the sweeter Jarritos flavors, and it gives you one more story to share at the table.
Why These Three Facts Make Good Conversation
Each of these stories comes down to the same thing. Names and origins say a lot about where something came from. Dragon fruit looks exotic, yet it grows on a climbing cactus with flowers that open under the moon. Jarritos sounds like a brand, yet its name is just the Spanish word for the bottle's shape. Perrier feels like a modern luxury, yet its spring has been known since ancient times. Knowing these small details makes an ordinary order feel more interesting, and they are the kind of facts that work well when you are sitting with family, coworkers, or friends and want something fun to talk about over lunch.
Find All Three in Santa Clarita
Clean River Juice Bar is a grab and go and online ordering spot at 23365 Lyons Avenue in Santa Clarita, built for people who want something quick and tasty without a long wait. You can order a Dragon-Berry smoothie, a Jarritos, or a Perrier for pickup, and delivery is also available through DoorDash to neighboring communities around Santa Clarita. If you are building a bigger order, the Frutifresca selection adds fruit bars and other sweet treats, and the sandwiches menu has Turkey, Tuna, and Tuna Salad options for something more filling. You can browse everything and place your order at Clean River Juice Bar whenever you are ready.
