Dragon fruit (pitaya)

About Dragon fruit (pitaya)

Dragon fruit is a vigorous climbing cactus with long green stems, huge fragrant white flowers that open for a single night, and bright pink or yellow fruit with white or red flesh. It grows fast and can fruit within a year from a rooted cutting, so it suits a large pot with a sturdy post. Heads-up: the UF/IFAS Assessment rates Selenicereus undatus invasive in central and south Florida, so gardeners there should keep it in a pot or skip it.

NC State lists zones 10-11 and frost kills it; long freezes below about 31 F damage plants, though light frost injury heals fast (UF/IFAS). The UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants calls Selenicereus undatus invasive and not recommended in central and south Florida (fine in north Florida); it is not a Florida noxious weed.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

No source ties the move outdoors to a frost date; set a potted plant out once frost danger is over. Rooted stem cuttings can fruit 6-9 months after planting in Florida (UF/IFAS), while Hawaii growers see the first crop in the second year (University of Hawaii); seedlings take up to 7 years. In the ground, keep plants 15-25 ft from trees, buildings and power lines (UF/IFAS).

Soil

Any well-drained soil or cactus potting mix; it needs regular water but rots in constantly wet soil (UF/IFAS; NC State).

Use well-drained soil or cactus potting mix; UF/IFAS suggests working in well-rotted manure or compost, about 4 lb per plant in the first year in the ground.

Feeding

• First year, every 2 months during the warm season: balanced fertilizer with magnesium, such as 6-6-6 or 8-3-9 with 2-3% magnesium. UF/IFAS uses light applications of about 1/4 lb per in-ground plant every 2 months; scale down for a pot and follow the label.
• Second and third years, every 2 months in the warm season: the same fertilizer plus compost or manure. UF/IFAS raises in-ground amounts to 0.3-0.4 lb per plant every 2 months and raises compost or manure to about 6 lb per plant.
• Late March through September: minor-element (micronutrient) spray; chelated iron on high-pH soil. UF/IFAS suggests 4-6 minor-element sprays through the season, following the label.

Don't keep the soil constantly wet: too much water too often causes root and stem rot (UF/IFAS), and uneven watering splits the fruit (University of Hawaii).

Harvest

Pick fruit when it is fully colored, using hand clippers (UF/IFAS). Fruit is ready about 30-50 days after the flower is pollinated, and fruit left to 50 days was heavier and sweeter in Hawaii trials (University of Hawaii); UC trials averaged about 40 days from bloom to harvest.

Dragon fruit flowers and ripens fruit through the warm season, about June to October in Hawaii and June to November in Florida, so check plants often. Fruit can be picked 30 days after it sets, but waiting up to about 50 days makes it sweeter; a dry winter and early spring helps it bloom, then keep it watered from flowering through harvest.

Varieties (20)

Pests to watch for

Twospotted spider mite, Thrips, Scale insects, Mealybugs, Leaffooted bugs, Slugs, Birds

Diseases and problems

Stem and fruit canker, Anthracnose (fruit and stem rot), Bacterial stem rot, Root rot

In the kitchen

Most fruit is eaten fresh; the pulp also goes into ice cream, yogurt, jelly, juice, candy and pastries, and unopened flower buds can be cooked as a vegetable (UF/IFAS).

Keeping it: Ripe fruit keeps 4 to 5 days on the counter, or several weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Safety: The sources we checked list no toxic parts, and we found no research-based guidance on pregnancy, drug interactions or allergies. Stems carry sharp spines, so wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning or picking (NC State; UF/IFAS).

Pets: Not toxic to dogs or cats (ASPCA)