Dragon Fruit/ Pitaya

saul4paz · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Mesa AZ

Has anyone had any experience getting dragon fruit to fruit? It is a cacti that is vine like. I have several and mine just keep growing. And haven't yet flowered or set fruit. But I bought a few more from HD/ LOWES. Different types too, H. Undus, H. pysl

Very ornamental, grows almost snake like.

I'll post pics soon. There’s also a guy on my street that has one that looks like a Dragon fruit but has crazy thorns up to one inch long. The fruit is thorn less and looks like a smaller version of dragon fruit (taste really sweet), I want to ask someone who is a desert plant expert which kind of cactus it is (will post a pic).

I think this fruit is very promising in AZ with morning sun.

Info link; http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/dragon/

http://dragon-fruit.biz/

Thanks
Very Happy

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:47 pm Post subject:

There is a guy in the AZRFG club that is an expert in growing those, and I believe he has harvested a lot of fruit. I think his name is Al Falkenstein.

saul4paz · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Mesa AZ

Pics. of Dragon fruit/ pitaya

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:05 pm Post subject:

Nice.

mullenium · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 192

I came upon a cutting from the dragon fruit var. that lowes is selling (supposed to be self fruiting) it's red in color inside

Popped it in the ground sort of behind my guava plant up against the wall of my house on the eastern side so hopefully the radiating heat will keep it from getting killed come winter time..

we'll see how it goes.. it was free so it wont be too much of a loss if it dies

saul4paz · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Mesa AZ

Cool, I’ve planted some that got really beat up by frost last year and I thought they were dead, but as soon as the warm weather hit they came alive.

Contrary to the Pitaya info on the web I think there really frost hardy. They can be killed by over watering though, but If you have well drainage soil (cactus mix is great, or lava sand) they will grow like crazy. I have one climbing on a ficus at my house and It grows an inch a week.

I think the more different types you have will better increase you chances of fruit. There is guys that get them to fruit in AZ.

Laughing

http://www.mattslandscape.com/ (great site to find different types)

Good luck

saul4paz · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Mesa AZ

Dragon fruit Growing on a ficus Laughing