My Edibles: Pitaya Dragon Fruit QLD

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: -

I have to say as I write this I am yet to taste a yellow dragon fruit from my plant but I have tasted the fruit before (from the local markets) and the taste is why I started growing it in my own garden. I think the fruit tastes like a mild melon with a flesh texture similar to a kiwi fruit (only white).

The yellow dragon fruit is smaller than the red variety but sweeter tasting - I think they are both good. However, care needs to be taken when picking or handling the fruit as the fruit proudly displays many 1/2 inch - inch long thin thorns. I'm thinking a wire brush or kitchen shears will be good at removing the spikes - we'll see.

The plant is also spikey (being a cactus) so I have grouped my pitayas in a separate garden with my other thorny edibles like raspberries and pineapples.

Growth was pretty fast reaching 2.5 metres in 2 years. I trained the plant up a post and then left it "droop" from the top. It was this "drooping" that resulted in small bend fractures which triggered the plants to start branching at the top and then flowering this season.

Flowering is spectacular! My wife first saw the flowers in the early morning when she opened the curtains and gasped at the display telling me to come quickly. The plants were 50 metres away but the flowers were easily visible at about 7-8 inches across. Normally, dragon fruit flower at night so catching the flowers in the morning before they closed was a great treat. The large flowers quickly die-off and the fruit forms from the base - mine are still swelling and are probably several weeks away from harvest (currently the date is 17 Mar 12).

Naturally shed branches or cuttings root easily to make new plants and the plants survive on little water. In fact, I would be careful not to over-water this plant as it seems to enjoy "dryer feet".

Recommendation? Yes, the yellow dragon fruit is a top specimen to have in the garden. The fruit certainly looks more remarkable than it tastes but it's still good eating and I'll definately be growing a couple more.  

Fruiting Months February, March, April, May

Planted: 2010

Height 2.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Fruit Harvest: 4 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer and Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Some chook poo

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control:

Nothing seems to touch this plant. Can get a few minor rust spots through humid summers but recovers easily.

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: - Superb flavour, refreshing, far better than dragonfruit. Has grown 1m this rainy spring and summer. 3 plants against fence

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Question: Advice on options for supporting the vine?

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Comments: -

One in the front and one in back yard. Also a red dragonfruit.  Flowering December - March, but no fruit.

Planted: 2009

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: compost and worm water, blood and bone

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Comments: - I'm looking forward to night blooming flowers and the amazing shape and colour of the fruit - and the taste too!

Planted: 2010

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Fertiliser or Organics Used: manure

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

i love these plants because they are easy to grow and  dont need alot of looking after and i love the taste of the fruit the dragon fruit is one of my favourite plants.

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

When I Fertilise: Never

Question:

how do i trellis my dragon fruit if i want to grow it in a pot/planter bag i allready have it planted in a large planter bag and temporarily have it hanging over a iron plant stand

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: -

Yum yum yum. I have red, white and yellow growing but they are all still young so still waiting for my own fruit, and satisfying my hunger for them from the fruit shops (red only).

Planted: 2010

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

I have the red, yellow and white ones of these, but have so far only had fruit off the red one, which I loved.  Yellow one has it's first fruit on now (March 2011).

They seem to thrive in a full sun position and well drained soil.  I planted a couple of cuttings into clay thinking that once they put their aerial roots out, that it wouldn't matter what type of soil they were planted into but they both rotted and died.

And the flowers are absolutely amazing!!!!!  They open at night, so I always take a walk round the garden at that time and pollinate the flowers myself.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Fruit Harvest: 6 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Fertiliser or Organics Used: none

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: -

great fruit to eat. Silght rose petal taste.

Fruiting Months January, February, March

Planted: 2006

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 6

Fruit Harvest: 4 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2007 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: -

Ease of growth. Local wildlife haven't figured out it is delicious. Expensive to buy locally in the shops. Convenient to pick when ready, rather than drive into town to be told they haven't got any in stock.

Fruiting Months November

Planted: 2009

Height 8 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 12

First Fruited: 2 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pruned By: 10% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

No known pests. Will be watching for possible fruit fly and bird attack.

Question:

Do fruit fly find this attractive and will it be another fruit that I grow and can't eat because of this pest.

Comments

Hi Cathy...check out the comments on the fruit after you do a search on the site. There's loads of info on it from other growers :-)

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit

Comments: -

Stunning flower followed by fruit. Unfortunately heavy rains led to fruit drop. Plant is fine, but would have liked a harvest this year.

Second Year 2010

Have growing in large pot, allowed to grow & hang over railing. I have a large outdoor umbrella to shield it from heavy rain when it is fruiting. This has been very successful this year and we were able to get 14 fruit from it this season. no fruit lost. Possum hates the spikey fruit and the fruit fly also leave it alone.

Easiest way to remove the spines on the fruit is to wear gardening gloves and just brush them off in a downward motion (with the spines pointing away from you)

The fruit is smaller than the purple varieties but much sweeter. Cut in half they look like tiny pineapples, just scoop out the flesh with a spoon to enjoy.

Planted: 2009

Qty: 1

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: -

My dragon fruit went into the ground during summer, planted up against a hard wood t-frame for support.  I can see the frame will never be tall enough for this plant!  The idea is to let it scramble up and then hang down.  The "stems" are reaching out for anything nearby though so I regularly have to knock pieces off and give to friends or they go back in the same piece of  ground to go crazy again!  Doesn't seem to rely on water or feeding, just does it's own thing.

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit ^5/10

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit ^5/10

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

White fleshed dragon fruit cutting taken from a huge vine growing up a gum on Maundrel Terrace. Very quick growing and hardy, and known to produce good fruit with no care as an untended bush/street vine.

Planted: 2010

Height 2 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Pitaya - Pink Dragon Fruit

Height 3 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Planted: 2010

Height 2 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Pitaya Pearl Dragon Fruit

Comments: -

Magnificent flowers at night and fruits very well. Fruit does not last long once ripe on plant and seems to be pest free.

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Planted: 2006

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Hand Pollination

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Planted: 2006

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Hand Pollination

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Hand Pollination

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^6/10

Comments: -

Growing well in pot. Working out how where to place for fruiting.

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

none

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

Growing well in pot. Working out how where to grow so it will fruit.

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^7/10

Comments: -

In a pot growing well, no pests. Still figuring out what to use for it to grow up and across so that it fruits LOL

Planted: 2009

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

none

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Growing: In a Pot

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit