My Edibles: Pitaya Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Red Fleshed Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus)

Comments: -

Autumn 2011: I like the flavour of the flesh better than the white fleshed-red. Mine are currently only teeny tiny seedlings which are going to take FOREVER to fruit but I am a patient woman. :O)

Summer 2011: Am also now the proud owner of a cutting (thank you John!). Fingers crossed that it strikes!!!

Summer 2012: Success! We already have a new shoot on the cutting! The seedlings are also coming along... they are about 3cm tall now! The yellows are growing SO MUCH faster they are all over 20 cm (except where they have snapped in half and now have heaps of little branches)!

Planted: 2011

Height 2 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Comments: -

2011 Winter: Growing them from collected seeds. I know that they will take a million years to fruit but I don't know anyone who has a big one for me to take a cutting.

Summer 2011: Am also now the proud owner of a cutting (thank you John!). Fingers crossed that it strikes!!!

Summer 2012: I have a new shoot on John's cutting! So excited!

Planted: 2011

Height 1 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Comments: -

These are the red skinned white fleshed variety. Very fragile and need support (mine are growing up palm trees). Strikes easily from cuttings.

Winter 2011: I recently found out that they won't branch and flower (or fruit) if you let it get too tall. Apparently you only let the main stem grow to max 2 m and then force it to turn. So I have very carefully peels the majority of it off the palm tree and carefully laid it over our patio frame.

Summer 2011: Success - I have side branches on both!

Planted: 2009

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

ants like to eat the growing tips = dragon's blood spray (blended garlic, habanero, and dishwashing liquid - DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR EYES!)

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 - Yellow Dragon Fruit

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit ^7/10

Comments: -

Have grown this one before successfully in northern NSW, a much warmer climate..It's growing surprisngly well after planting these cuttings (30cm) in Feb of this year. Had lots of buds 5wks after potting up.Survived Winter in tunnel , no water through this period. Just sprayed with liquid fish & seaweed sparingly  to create more humidty during growing period.

Lots of new buds in Spring at the moment.

Brilliant Flowers & fruit....will see how it goes here.

Photo 2 January 2012, growing well but more horizontally with a couple of vertical leaders...could prune extras off for cuttings or just wait & see how it progresses...

Planted: 2011

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pest Control:

A few snail holes (easily squashed) but recovers ok.

Organic Status:Organic

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

Height 1.6 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

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 - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^7/10

Comments: -

love the red one so thought yellow could be cood to polinate.

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Fruit Harvest: 1 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: red pitaya

Fertiliser or Organics Used: organic

Organic Status:Certified

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit ^8/10

Comments: -

Newly acquired so will see how it goes..might plant out along my fence eventually..

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

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)

Comments: -

Struggling. I think the frost will get it sooner or later, even though its planted beside the water tank.

Height 0.1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

Struggling. I think the frost will eventually get it even though its planted beside a huge water tank.

Planted: 2010

Height 0.1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^5/10

Comments: - Slow growing but I dont give it any attention.  Growing up the trunk of a dead tree. 

Planted: 2007

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Compost, Dynamic Lifter

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control: Snails have a go at the new growth - handpick to control

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit ^7/10

Comments: - Growing mine up an old tree trunk.

Planted: 2008

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Compost, Dynamic Lifter

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control: None

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting) ^5/10

Comments: - tasty health food

Planted: 2011

Organic Status:Organic

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 - Red Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

I took my kids for a walk around my area one day and saw a huge Pitaya plant grown in the front yard owned by an old Vietnamese couple. I asked the elderly man for a cutting and he ended upended a small cutting with the root intact for me. It was very nice of him. The Vietnam Dragon Fruit is sharing the same pot with the Yellow Dragon Fruit. I can't wait till ]my Yellow Dragon Fruit matures, so I can take some cuttings and give it to the elderly couple in return.

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

I planted the Yellow Dragon Fruit in the same pot as the Red Dradon Fruit (white flesh).

Planted: 2011

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Height 25 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

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

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Comments: -

I just couldn't be bothered with it... :(  I don't have the right place for it here - gets sunburnt too easily (I actually pulled it out and mulched it...)

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

Just got started on this one (red with white flesh) with a cutting from a friend. Currently its about 30cm tall. Dotted with rooting power and planted in potting mix. Will wait and see!

Also picked up a red flesh pitaya recently from Tass1. Now I need to find a spot for them!

12/06/10 - and another cutting from Tass1, this time yellow skin white flesh. Treated same as above. My other two have had lots of new growth over summer but seem to be slowing a bit now in winter.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Not yet