How to Grow and Care for Dragon Fruit Cactus

One of many various fruits produced from cactus is the dragon fruit plant, which is native to South America, Central America, and Mexico. This unusual, nutritious fruit only blooms at night with the largest flowers in the world. The fruit of Dragon fruit plant is really sweet with white or red flesh with various tiny black seeds in it. Look for more overview information of this plant based on the information from NC State University and N.C. A&T State University [1]:

Botanical Name	Hylocereus undatus
Common Names	Jesus in the Cradle Night Blooming Cereus Pitahya Plant Pitaya Nightblooming Cactus Strawberry-Pear Dragon Fruit Tree Belle-Of-The-Night Queen of the Night Moonlight Cactus Moonflower Honolulu Queen Dragon Fruit Red Pitaya Cinderella Plant
Plant Type	Cactus Perennial
Soil Type	Sandy Well-drained
Sun Exposure	Full Partial
Soil pH	Acid (<6.0) Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Bloom Time	Fall Summer
Leaf Color	Gold/Yellow White Green
Flower Color	White
Harvest Time	Fall Summer

Dragon fruit cactus is divided into 15 species with different colored fruits. There are some common species:

• Hylocereus Megalanthus: This type of dragon fruit features a yellow shell and white fruit flesh. This variation's shell is a little bit more thorny than the others, making it less common to find in gardens.
• Hylocereus Undatus: The skin of this variation is red, but it still retains white flesh inside.
• Hylocereus Costaricensis: Both the shell and the flesh of this kind are red in color. The flesh frequently has a dark red tone that almost appears unnatural or blood–like.​​​​​​​

You'll need to live in a warm, sunny area and have plenty of garden space if you want to successfully cultivate your own dragon fruit plant. This is a big cactus with a spreading habit and long stems. Make sure it is planted sufficiently distant from your house, electricity lines, and any other potentially dangerous objects. A sturdy trellis is typically required to support it as well.

Temperature and Humidity

This dragon fruit plant is native to tropical regions. So, you should grow dragon fruit cactus between 32 and 90°F. However, the best temperature for this plant is around 70°F. In winter, if your area has a low temperature, bring this plant inside to keep it warm.

Light

Although dragon fruit trees thrive in warm climates and are frequently planted in direct sunshine, excessive sun exposure in dry or extremely hot climates can harm the stems. It's recommended to grow your cactus in an area with partial shade if temperatures in your area often hover around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water

Do not fall into the trap of thinking that just because this plant is a cactus, you may neglect to water it. Although dragon fruit cactus can withstand some drought, it's important to water them regularly from the time they begin to produce flowers until you harvest your crop of dragon fruit if you want a nice fruit crop. However, overwatering also increases the risk of fungal diseases and root rot.

Soil

When it comes to the type of soil dragon fruit cacti grow in or the pH level,  they are not overly picky. Their soil's moisture content, organic matter content, and drainage are crucial factors. Experts on cacti advise mulching around the plant's base to assist the soil retain moisture, especially in dry areas.

Fertilizer

During their first year, dragon fruit cactus need to be fed every few months because they are quite hungry plants. Once the plants are established, they should survive with just a few fertilizer applications per year. Plan to add compost or other organic matter to the soil a few times a year as well.

Pick a sunny location, then enrich the soil with compost, manure, and pelletized certified organic fertilizer. Because these plants readily decay if their roots sit in water, the soil must be freely draining. If you only have clay soil, treat it with gypsum and plant on a raised mound. Clay dirt is not the best type of soil to use. As an alternative, they will thrive in a big pot. Dragon fruit require some training to prevent them from becoming a scrambling mess if left to their own ways. To promote vertical, straight development, place the plant against a large stick or other support and knot one or two main stems to the support. Remove any further side branches. Cut off the ends of the stems once they have reached the appropriate height to promote new branching shoots. Then, you can let them grow apart and hang downward. Commercial producers frequently employ a rose wheel and promote sideways branch growth over the wheel to make fruit picking easier.

A dragon fruit may frequently experience problems with mealybugs and aphids. They are bugs that feed mostly on the plant's delicious sap and are sap sucking. Ants are drawn to aphids and feast on the plant afterward. Thrips and mites can also be a problem; although they won't harm the plant, they are bad for its general health. The presence of dragon spots on the stems and leaves of a plant may indicate an infection. Bacteria can also result in other problems, such as soft stem rot [2]. The branch ends are affected by this disease. Because these diseases frequently spread from plant to plant, sanitize your clippers. During the hottest part of the year, when the sun is scorching hot, sunburn might happen. Root rot can also happen if a plant receives too much water.

Your dragon fruit cactus will be more susceptible to fungus and insect infestation if you don't prune it usually. Additionally, it may cause the tangled middle stems to receive insufficient light, which may have an effect on fruit production. In addition to promoting profusion of flowers, regular pruning keeps the plant from being too heavy for the trellis it is growing up. Plan to periodically prune back any stems that are excessively long, broken, entangled, or dead, possibly twice or three times a year. If you're fortunate (or have a younger plant), you might only need to prune once a year. This can be done after the fruit has been harvested.

Harvesting your dragon fruit tree is simple. The fruit is ready to harvest when the flaps start to wither. Gently twist the fruit, if it is ripe, the stem will readily give way. Do not leave the fruit overripe because it easily falls off the stem on its own. Unpeeled dragon fruit can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator or for a number of days on the counter. This fruit is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and minerals. However, the taste of dragon fruit is not for everyone.

Are dragon fruit cactus easy to grow?

Dragon fruit is easy to grow. Although this plant is native in tropical regions, you can also plant it in frost-prone regions.

How long does it take for a dragon fruit cactus to produce fruit?

If you plant dragon fruit from seed, it can take up to 7 years to produce fruit. However, you can fruit faster, about 1 to 3 years, if you plant a cutting.

Can you grow dragon fruit cactus indoors?

Dragon fruit can be placed indoors if you give them enough sunlight to grow, at least 6 hours per day.

How often do you water a dragon cactus?

Dragon cactus is not a plant that needs to be watered frequently. You just need to water dragon cactus once every 2 weeks. Sources: The New York Garden works under restricted procurement guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies and studies conducted by academic organizations. Tertiary references should be avoided. For more information on how we ensure our material is correct and up to date, please visit our editorial policy.

1. Selenicereus undatus - NC State University and N.C. A&T State University
2. Pitaya (dragonfruit) Growing In The Florida Home Landscape - University of Florida