Also known as the Dragon Fruit, the Pitaya is a stunningly beautiful fruit with an intense colour and shape, magnificent flowers and a delicious taste. Once only seen in the finest restaurants it is fast becoming common-place throughout Australia as a garnish and a delicious fresh fruit. To eat the fruit serve chilled and cut in half. Scoop out the flesh and seeds much like a kiwi fruit.
Hylocereus undatus is a red skinned climbing cactus that 
has received world-wide recognition as an ornamental plant for its large, scented, night-blooming flowers. It produces fruit of 1 kg or more and has a light melon-like taste. The colour of the skin is a beautiful bright red, with translucent white flesh and tiny black seeds. The species is easily recognisable by the triangular cross-section of its stem and minimal spines. This species pollinates very well with H polyrhizus.
The H polyrhizus has a small fruit up to 1 kg with red skin, dark-red flesh and small black seeds. The stems of this species have more spines.
The Selenicereus megalanthus has yellow skin and clear to white flesh containing edible black seeds. It has smaller fruit and higher levels of sugar. There are 2 types available Red and Yellow. The red although very attractive is not as flavoursome as the yellow variety and requires cross pollination.
A spectacular night flowering cactus with highly ornamental pink skin & white flesh fruit containing numerous small black seeds. Fruit can be up to 1kg with a melon like flavour. Self pollinating selection from Vietnam.
A spectacular night flowering cactus with highly ornamental pink skin & red flesh fruit containing numerous small black seeds. Fruit can be up to 1kg with a melon like flavour. Self pollinating selection.
These strongly scented trumpet like flowers are freely produced in late summer followed by fruit in 4-8 weeks. Yellow fruit and white flesh. Best flavoured pitaya, but very thorny.
| Height | Frost tol. | Pollination req'd | Evergreen/Deciduous | Harvest period |
| 6 | Medium | Partial | Evergreen | January - June |
We welcome your Tips on Dragon Fruit - Pitaya. Share Your Tip.
If you are growing Pitaya cuttings, let them dry for 24-48hrs before planting | Otto - Brisbane, QLD 10-Jan-2006
Must hand pollinate with a brush. Insects too unreliable away from native areas. Does better with sharp drainage but tolerant of wetter soils. Plant against walls / fences so adventitious roots can stick to surface and support. Dilute fertilse frerquently | David White - Newcastle, NSW 30-Jan-2006
Cut fruit in half, scoop out flesh - put aside skin for use later. Mix flesh with pureed strawberries and castor sugar. Return mixture into skins and serve, topped with whipped cream. | Kerryn W - Melbourne, VIC 28-Mar-2006
Beutiful flower | Rasli - Kuala Lumpur, SELAN 26-May-2006
Cut of a section and leave on the ground for new plant(water will rot it) | Jack Hipply - Melbourne, VIC 18-Jun-2006
Thang loy: ( pronounced tarng loy? )vietnamese words for the Dragon Fruit . Flower : Does the Dragon flower smell strongly for only one night each year ? | Rolf - Bankstown, NSW 27-Jun-2006
The vietnamese name for dragon fruit is Thanh long | Vy Nguyen - Bronx, NY 13-Jul-2006
Eat it whole | Abby E. Andaya - Cavite, PHIL. 06-Aug-2006
Boiled the adventitous root, good for body, Make tea from the flowers after 24 hours blooming: go my blog http://azmidragon.fotopages.com/ | Azmi Ibrahim - Malaysia, SELAN 06-Oct-2006
They grow pitaya from south america all the way to canada | John Furdun - Pittsfield, MA 30-Oct-2006
Fruit grow big and more with good fertilizing schedule. Organic fertilizer work batter then chemical fertilizer, friut found sweeter with organic fertilizer and it is more healthy. | Bruce - Aramijaya Sdn. Bhd. Malaysia, JOHOR 02-Nov-2006
Yes, Dragonfruit grows in Massachusettes. It is the king of all fruits has a lemony taste. It has a taste all of it's own. | John Furdun - Pittsfield, MA 20-Nov-2006
DRAGON FRUITS I'TS VERY GOOD& DELICIOUS | Arief - Indonesia, JKT 10-Dec-2006
Pitaya looks like an alien fruit, but it is delicious!!! | Ivo Cheregati - São Bernardo Do Campo, SP 04-Jan-2007
I have both Yellow and Red Pitaya and have NEVER needed to cross po;inate for flower/fruit set. I find thousands of ants do that for me. | Michael Shnukal - Tugun, QUEEN 13-Jan-2007
The flower is self polinate variety. | Peter Tan - Malaysia, SL 13-Feb-2007
Yes, even eaten in Ottawa, but wrongly sold as Granadilla in my local store - leave outer petals in place, slice thinly, use as garnish, or eat and enjoy. | Ed Williams - Ottawa, ON 18-Feb-2007
I have found that the white fleshed ones are more bitter than the red fleshed.The blended flesh can be used as a base for fruit drinks, and a substitute for grenadine. even can be used in sorbet, and can be blended with berries and sugar then frozen | Shade - Sydney , NSW 28-Feb-2007
The house I am staying in was previously a rubber estate and the garden is often infested with termite. So I can't use wooden poles to provide support for the cactus. I use plastic pipes leaning against a concrete block wall | Peter Chen - Petaling Jaya, SELAN 21-Mar-2007
Have a red variety but am having a lot of trouble with the pollinating.have tried by hand but flowers do not set properly.also some of the flowers go yellow then fall off. i live in western australia (PERTH)any helpful suggestions | Randey Watson - Perth, W.A. 22-Apr-2007
Have been drying the red dragon fruit for a few years. Very popular and tastes great. | David Grant - Humpty Doo, NT 03-May-2007
To take a good growth,we can use mix media are kompos, sand and soil with same comparation. I did it | Fitriani Sarmita - Semarang,indonesia, RED 04-May-2007
To Randey Watson, Perth: You need a different clone, ie one grown from seed not vegetatively cloned from the same parent | Patrick Hamlyn - Perth, WA 16-May-2007
Plant in not-sandy soil, it must be 4-6 inchis dept! | Russel B. Ebal - Dahlia St. Aurora, Zambo. Del Sur, STATE 21-May-2007
My plants have fruit on them the moment, they are large,firm red, when should I pick them? | Darrel Todd - Tyalgum, NSW 21-May-2007
I pick my fruit when it is red on the plant.The ones I couldnt get to, split. They taste so good when they sit in the fruit bowl for awhile -it is a fruit from the health gods for sure! | Tracee Thomson - Federal, NSW 23-May-2007
Cross pollination with different pitaya flower, to develop new genes.... | Abid - Kuala Lumpur, W.P 01-Jun-2007
Squeeze lime juice on to enhance the taste and serve with yoghurt | Tom - Gold Coast, QLD 05-Jun-2007
After 3 long yrs finally my red dragon Hylocereus guatemalensis has flower. | Tjoe - Northridge, CA 09-Jun-2007
I cross polinate yellow and red about an hour after dark then go back out and do the same 2 hours later 100% sucess | Ron Briggs - Grafton , NSW 13-Jun-2007
I just purch.bare rooted Red Dragon (Hylocereus Polyrhizus-red flesh with red skin) and the Dragon fruit (Hylocereus Undatus-red skin with white flesh.Buy portable trellis to bring indoors winter.Not Under crosspollinate.Auto. Fruits | Traci Hargrove - Chicago, IL 18-Jun-2007
Eat with ice cream | Luvdragon - Terengganu, TEREN 11-Jul-2007
My Mom planted Dragon Fruit as part of her hobby and now it turned into a rewarding hobby by selling it to friends and neighbors.Wanna try? E-mail drprods@yahoo.com | Daniel H. Ugali - Cavite, PHILS 19-Jul-2007
IT IS GOLDMINE FRUIT. GROW VERY FAST, HIGH PRICE, GOOD 4 YOUR HEALTH, CAN'T WAIT 4 MY DRAGON TO RIPE AND HARVESTING | Ro - Kedah, M'SIA 22-Aug-2007
It's very addicted on organic fertilizer, chicken dung,guano & etc. But very rewarding. My boss has plenty as hobby at Kelulit,bekenu. | Boyce Ngau Anyi - Miri,malaysia, SWAK 22-Aug-2007
The height of the plant does not have limit since it grow in segment of about ~3ft each. Will grow on most clingable surface and can grow off of other tree (will kill the other tree as it's a leeching plant). Prefer moist/humid climate | Paul - San Jose, CA, 12-Sep-2007
The flower doesn't produce aroma as it cousin. Root will grow out of segmented pieces (plantable). Too much ferterlizer will cause the fruit to grow too fast which eliminate the true taste (sweet and cool). | Paul - Sj, CA 12-Sep-2007
Presently dieases are the main problems,way are:keep clean,low N,good drainage system and with high soil ph 6. | Chuah Hai Chooi - Ulu Tiram, JOHOR 01-Oct-2007
THE PLANT NOT USE TOO MUCH WATER AND IT CAN LIFE MORE LONGER LIKE SPECIES OF CACTUS | Siti Aminah Binti Abu Hassan - Sarawak, MIRI 25-Oct-2007
Personally, I find the red fruit the most sensuous flavour and aroma. It is very high in anti-oxidents and beautiful with mango and red papaya and a squeeze of lime. Beautiful in gelati or just mixed with yoghurt and eaten raw or frozen like a Wiess bar | Barbara Gibbs - Mareeba, QLD 10-Nov-2007
Can I grow dragon fruit in Collaroy Plateau (Sydney Northen Beaches) ?They are one of my favourites and I prefer to eat the, fresh, just scoop out of the skin. | Fabiola Saxon - Collaroy Plateau, NSW 01-Jan-2008
Yes many people grow dragon fruit pitaya both the red and yellow varieties in the Sydney area | Correy - Woolloongabba, QLD 03-Jan-2008
Love the red pitaya, can we get the yellow one in sydney. Also are the pitaya grown in australia. | Annie Williams - Centennial Park, NSW 10-Mar-2008
Indeed Pitaya farming is a goldmine.Most triends visiting our farm calls it a "Wheel of Fortune" as the canopy shapes lies on old motorcycle wheels, It does bring fortune. | Edita Aguinaldo Dacuycuy - Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, PHIL. 26-Mar-2008
To patrick hamlyn, since my last entry i have done a lot more investigating and found the trick. my red dragon is a clone but is now madly producing fruit up to 750gms and so sweet. will continue to clone this variety and start to cross with white variety | Randey Watson - Perth, W.A. 01-Jun-2008
The Pitaya need direct sunlight in order to fruit. It rarely fruit under shade. Suitable material for it to creep over will be 4"x4" concrete post or wooden post with a motorcycle tyre placed horizontally on top for it to branch. | Cyril Yap - Melaka, M'CCA 30-Sep-2008
Have cut sections off my red dragon and planted about a dozen,all growing also have 2 dozen white flesh (1 yo)and all are healthy and over 2m tall. yeehah i`m gonna have a feast | Randey Watson - East Cannington, WA 24-Oct-2008
I like to grow dragon fruits.can someone please tell me how can i do it.i am from sri lanka.thanks .my name is tony. | Tony Xavier James - Colombo, MALAB 17-Nov-2008
I first encountered this fruit sliced on a buffet - I thought it tasted like a less-astringent kiwi fruit - outstanding flavor! | Pat Cummings - Santa Rosa, CA 19-Nov-2008
Flowing but turned into yellow at the end.Why? | Alice - Malaysia, S'WAK 24-Nov-2008
Has anyone had any experiences with fruiting with plants grown from seeds and cuttings. Which ones fruit quicker? | Nikhil - Brisbane, QLD 01-Dec-2008
I have an deep orange Pitaya and has a mango like taste. I planted the seeds of a white fleshe pitaya planted near several varieties of cascti. I do not know if they are poisonos. can anybody help m? | Botomon A. Leung - Batac (ex City), PHILI 25-Dec-2008
I got my plant several years ago. It is fruiting for the first time having grown over my chook yard. My fruit are swarmed over by green ants (pollination perhaps?) They have a beard and when you can pull that out easily they are ripe. | Richard Creswick - Virginia, NT 01-Jan-2009
To Randey W.A. Too much pollen can turn the fruit behind the flower yellow - it will drop off in a few days. Take a small brush 9.00 pm - brush the pollen from inside of large bell [male pt] and brush very lightly on smaller external flower [female pt | Fred Thompson - Airville , QLD 02-Jan-2009
I am from East Africa, stayed in \Asia for a while and loved eating dragon fruit...where can I get some to plant back home in Kenya....can someone help me with cuttings to plant? | Irene N - Nairobi, KENYA 13-Feb-2009
Thanks for any replys in advance, I put in one long peice of dragonfruit white and red red has grown a lot in 6 mths can anyone advise when it will flower do they have to be mature or gown when it is mature i have read 3 yrs | Julieanne Moule - Brisbane, QLD 21-Feb-2009
Can anyone give me cold hardiness informaton on the different Varieties. Please. | Linda Maccoy - Portland, OR 01-Mar-2009
Very interesting plant. Am now convinced to start a farm. Please include me in your tips. | Aida Mendoza - Quezon City, PHILI 04-Mar-2009
Planted my cutting (red variety) in proper planting location and saw tremendous growth. Lately flower buds appear but due to heavy rain they dropped. Only 2 blooms and set fruits. Use a lot of organic fertilizer, | Pakhorarazi Abdullah - K. Lumpur, W P 24-Apr-2009
Best grown in the dry donot water to much | Mat Naztac - Broken hill, SA 05-May-2009
The flower I hand pollinated set fruit first and 2 months later we had delicious fruit. Needs plenty of watering in summer for Perth. Loves the heat though and grows so vigorously! | Rachel B - Perth Wa, WA 07-Jun-2009
You can sometimes buy the red ones in Woolworths! Durians too, Im in heaven. | Smurfette - Sydney, NSW 20-Jun-2009
Would anyone be able to tell me how long they take to bare fruit from seedlings, will they grow in a large pot thanks | Nikki Collins - Bowen, QLD 01-Aug-2009
Given unusual conditions we have had them fruit in the pots in the nursery. However more then likely they will need to be established and climb up on something. | Correy - Brisbane, QLD 11-Aug-2009
They grow and fruit very well in a 300ml pot. From a cutting I planted in ground in full sun in rich well manured soil mine fruited within 8 mnths. Pollination by black ants from only one flower. The flowers are spectacular. | Michelle Smith - Kuranda, QLD 22-Aug-2009
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