Hylocereus undatus (F) | dragon fruit

Other common names

dragon fruit, night-blooming cereus, night-blooming cereus, pitahaya, pitaya, prickly withe, queen of the night, strawberry pear

Cactus Succulent

A vigorous, branching, epiphytic cactus with a scrambling habit and thick, jointed, three-angled stems with scalloped edges and fine grey-brown spines. Large, fragrant white flowers to 30cm across, with narrow, yellow-green outer segments, open at night in summer. If pollinated, these are followed by reddish pink edible fruits

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1A

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Cactaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Trailing
Genus
Name Status: Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: This genus produces fruit, but not necessarily edible fruit
Plant Range: New World Tropics

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a warm greenhouse in peat-free, epiphytic cactus compost, in bright indirect light with high humidity. Needs plenty of space to reach its full size. Water freely when in growth and apply a half-strength liquid feed monthly, keep just moist in winter. Flowers need to be hand-pollinated if fruit is desired; they are normally pollinated by moths or bats. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown at 19-24°C in spring, or by stem cuttings in spring or summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Conservatory and greenhouse
Edible fruit

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects

Diseases

Generally disease-free