Dragon fruit plant growing vine cactus of the genus Hylocereus also known as Pitahaya or Pitaya, Dragon fruit plant perennial plant and grow for the edible fruits but also used as ornamental vine for the stems, flowers and fruits and can grow as hedge plant, can grow in mediterranean, desert, subtropical, dry tropic climate or indoor as houseplant and growing in hardiness zone 10b+ and with the right care in hardiness zone 10a.
Stems green with spines, the stems can be erect but mostly wavy or shapeless.
Flower color white with yellow stamens, the size 5-20 cm, night blossom, before the flowers bloom the buds looks like the fruits
More than one cultivar in order to pollinate, trellising, well-drained soil and rich soil
What is the best way to start growing? Plant / Seeds / Vegetative Reproduction, cutting possible to use all stem or part of the stems, better to use all the stem and cut in in the connection between the stems the successes rate is better, better to increase the amount of water and do it in the warm temperature and treat it the same as fully grown plant, if the stem is big better to support the stems that won’t move
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No, but easier to start by cutting
Difficulties or problems when growing: Pollination need to made to be by hand, spines
Planting season: Spring in hardiness zone 10a, spring to summer in hardiness zone 10b, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11, all year in hardiness zone 12
Pests and diseases: Slugs, snails
Pruning season: Possible all year, but better not in the spring to early summer, better to prune after the plant finish to bloom and yield fruits
How to prune: Dead and infected parts, for design better to grow it like grow vines with easy access to all the stems, because of the pollination, cover the fruits with nets and pickup easier
Size of the plant? 2-20 m, 6-60 feet but recommends to keep it small 1m (3 feet)
Growth speed in optimal condition: Average growing / Slow growing / Fast growing only when the plant establish, grow in enough light
Water requirement: Small amount of water to average amount of water depend the drainage of the soil
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Half Shade better without direct sunlight in the noon / Full Shade with a lot of light
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? Yes with a lot of light better with at least few hours of sun but possible without direct sun but must be with light at least 8 hours a day, and highly recomannd not to grow indoor
Growing is also possible in a planter, flowerpot, containers: Yes, when grow in container better to have at least 5-10 gallons (25-50L) better bigger with yield more fruits, need to be 2 cultivars in order to get fruits, drainage of the container is important and will effect of the growth of the plant, need to let it trellis on something that will be and keep it small like and let grow to 4 location like cross
Blooming information
Bloom season: Spring / Summer
General information about the flower: Flower color white with yellow inner, the size 5-20 cm, night blossom
Pollination is done by: Bats, hands pollination, some cultivars can be pollinated
Pollination in dragon fruits plant flowers: There are few type of flowers and all better to pollinate by hands, flowers that can be pollinated by itself, flowers that can be only pollinated buy not pollinated other flowers, flowers that good to pollinate with it and can be pollinated by other
Edible Fruits
Fruit harvest season: Spring / Summer / Autumn
Pestsor diseases in Dragon fruit plant: Birds, snails
What can be donewith bigquantities of Dragon fruit plant? Eat raw, juice, jams
Work requirements: Nothing special, sometimes need to cover with
