Dragon Fruit (photo credit: Graham Bond)
Dragon Fruit
Hylocereus sp.
Cactaceae family
Also known as Pitaya or Pitahaya
This plant is a species of tree in the cactus family. There are several varieties grown at Lennox Community Gardens: White Sapphire, Lemonade, Sugar, Pink Panther and American Beauty.
Dragon Fruit can be used in salads and smoothies, ice creams, purees, jams and marmalades. They can also be dried or frozen. The flavour is mildly sweet, has tiny black crunchy kiwi-like seeds, and is in fact nutritious. The fruit contains high levels of vitamin C and carotene, which has anti-cancer properties.
Harvest when the skin is flaming pink and not any sooner because this fruit doesn’t continue to ripen off the plant.
Dragon Fruit is known by many names, including Cactus Fruit, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, and Moonlight Cactus. Based on the common names, you might infer that something perhaps happens in the night—you’d be right. Each large white fragrant flower opens for pollination on one night only, generally on the full or new moons, and then is withered by the morning. The dragon part of the name refers to the leathery skin and scaly spikes.
Indigenous to South America, the Caribbean Islands and warm, humid climates, and cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.
Tree maintenance
Hylocereus sp.
Cactaceae family
Also known as Pitaya or Pitahaya
This plant is a species of tree in the cactus family. There are several varieties grown at Lennox Community Gardens: White Sapphire, Lemonade, Sugar, Pink Panther and American Beauty.
Dragon Fruit can be used in salads and smoothies, ice creams, purees, jams and marmalades. They can also be dried or frozen. The flavour is mildly sweet, has tiny black crunchy kiwi-like seeds, and is in fact nutritious. The fruit contains high levels of vitamin C and carotene, which has anti-cancer properties.
Harvest when the skin is flaming pink and not any sooner because this fruit doesn’t continue to ripen off the plant.
Dragon Fruit is known by many names, including Cactus Fruit, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, and Moonlight Cactus. Based on the common names, you might infer that something perhaps happens in the night—you’d be right. Each large white fragrant flower opens for pollination on one night only, generally on the full or new moons, and then is withered by the morning. The dragon part of the name refers to the leathery skin and scaly spikes.
Indigenous to South America, the Caribbean Islands and warm, humid climates, and cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.
Tree maintenance
- Pruning - once the stems have reached the desired height cut off their ends to encourage new branching shoots. These can then be allowed to spread out and hang downwards.
- When established the top can become quite congested and large. Periodically remove some of the longer shoots to keep it under control and allow space for new growth to develop. This is important because flowers form on the ends of new season growth so each year you need new growth to get fruit. Less congestion tends to lead to bigger fruit as well
- Cut back any dead or diseased branches.
- Fertilise every month during the fruit growing season with an organic fertiliser.
- Every 2-3 weeks apply a mix of seaweed and aminogro as a spray or watered in the soil around the plant.
- Mulch with compost, manure or seaweed, but not too close to the base, and water in with seaweed; each spring reapply lime and replenish the compost/manure/organic fertiliser pellets.
- Water during dry periods.
- The trees prefer a rich and slightly acidic soil.
Young Dragon Fruit flower buds at LCG January 2025 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Dragon Fruit: developing fruit at LCG January 2025 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Dragon Fruit at LCG January 2025. The trellis supports several varieties (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Newly planted 'Lemonade' Dragon Fruit at LCG March 2023 (photo credit: Graham Bond)
