Dragon fruit

Tree facts

Scientific name

Selenicereus undatus

Origin

Southern Mexico and Central America

Tree size

Climbing cactus; stems reach 15–20 ft, usually trained up a 5–6 ft post and allowed to drape

Growth rate

Fast

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade in very hot, dry areas

Soil

Sandy, fast-draining soil with some organic matter. Rots in soggy ground.

Soil pH

6.0–7.5

Pollination

Varies: some cultivars set fruit alone, others need pollen from a different cultivar. Flowers open for a single night; hand-pollinating helps.

Cold hardiness

Stems are damaged near 32°F; a hard freeze can kill the plant

USDA zones

10–11 (9b with protection)

Years to first fruit

1–2 from a rooted cutting

Season

Jun–Nov

Water

About every 10 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young

Feeding

About every 60 days, Mar–Sep

Pruning

Dec–Jan

Taste

Mild and lightly sweet, like kiwi and pear, with tiny crunchy seeds; red-fleshed types are often sweeter, yellow types sweetest

Nutrition

Low in calories, with fiber, vitamin C and magnesium

Is dragon fruit safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

• Ripe flesh and seeds, raw
• Flower buds, cooked as a vegetable

Toxic parts and cautions

• Good to know: Red- and magenta-fleshed fruit can turn urine and stool pink or red for a day or two. It's harmless, though it can look alarming.
• Good to know: Stems carry clusters of spines, and yellow dragon fruit has spines on the fruit. Wear gloves and brush the spines off before cutting.

Pets: Not toxic to dogs or cats. A little peeled flesh is fine; keep pets away from the spiny stems.

How to eat and enjoy dragon fruit

• Fresh, halved and scooped, or cubed in fruit salads
• Smoothie bowls, especially with magenta flesh
• Sorbet, popsicles and agua fresca
• Cocktails and colorful garnishes

Dragon fruit varieties (6)

• American Beauty

  A red-skinned dragon fruit with deep purple-magenta flesh and a sweet flavor.

  Taste: Sweet

• Halley's Comet

  A white-fleshed dragon fruit with large fruit and good sweetness.

  Taste: Sweet · Size: Large

• Physical Graffiti

  A dragon fruit with pink skin and bright pink flesh, popular with home growers.

  Taste: Sweet

• Sugar Dragon

  A red-fleshed dragon fruit known for high sweetness.

  Taste: Very sweet

• Vietnamese White

  The common commercial dragon fruit, with pink skin and white flesh.

  Origin: Vietnam · Taste: Mild, lightly sweet · Size: Large

  Self-fertile.

• Yellow · also Yellow dragon fruit, Selenicereus megalanthus

  A different species with spiny yellow skin and white flesh, considered the sweetest dragon fruit.

  Origin: Colombia and Ecuador · Taste: Very sweet · Size: Small to medium

  Self-fertile. Slower to fruit, and the fruit takes longer to ripen.

Pests and diseases to watch for

• Scale insects

  Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

  What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

• Mealybugs

  White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

  What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

• Aphids

  Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

  What to do: Spray off with water.

• Sooty mold

  Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

  What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

• Spider mites

  Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

  What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.