My Edibles: Pitaya Dragon Fruit

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

Comments: -

Easy to grow, even a cutting with rotten end can be successfully saved by removing the rotten bit and grow again. I had one flower last year and I noticed that the branch had the flower bending down so I have since made a proper stand for the vine to climb over. Hopefully, I will have some fruits this year. To speed up the growing process dolomite and dynamic lifter should be applied in growing season, just a bit every 2 months. so far no fruit set.

Planted: 2004

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

First Fruited: 5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pruned By: 20% in

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting and Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Growing: In the Ground

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Growing: In the Ground

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Planted: 2012

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Height 1 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Hand Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Planted: 2011

Height 3 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Hand Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:

Nothing

Organic Status:Organic

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

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