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Other Names: Night Blooming Cereus
Related To:
[Cactaceae] Peruvian Apple Cactus, Pincushion Cactus
Main Uses:
Fruit, Ornamental
Growth Rate:
Moderate to Fast
Mature Height/Spread:
Vining species. Climbs very far up the canopies of trees.
Flowering/Pollination:
Flowers open after sundown, pollinated by bats.
Tolerance:
Good drought tolerance, mild salt tolerance.
Soil/Nutrition:
Prefers neutral to acidic soils, with good drainage.
Light:
Full sun for best fruiting. Part shade when young or establishing cuttings.
Wind:
Sturdy. Tends to branch out from it's parent host. Parts of the cactus will weep and occasionally break off.
Temperature:
Tropical. Will not tolerate temperatures below 30F for very long. Larger established specimens will suriuve frost events fairly well off the protection and residual heat of a parent tree.
Dangers:
Small spines along ridges.
Diseases Prone:
Bearing Age:
1-2 years from a large cutting. 3-4 from seed.
Fruit:
Beautiful magenta fruits with greenish fins, the fruits resemble fire. Inside the fruit can be any shade from deep red to white. Flavor is sweet, often somewhere between cucumber and a watermelon, but still unique. Fruits harvested fresh will be sweet and substantially better than store-bought ones which can tend to lack sweetness and flavor.
History/Origin:
Dragonfruit originates in South America
Species Observations:
Propogation:
By cuttings. Seeds are used to develop new varieties
Container Culture:
Container culture is very possible, they are easily trimmed and maintained, and will produce front provided a full sun location.
Medicinal Uses:
Nutritional Information:
Preparation / Food:
Dragonfruit is best eaten fresh & raw.
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