Dragon fruit is a subtropical cactus stuffed with distinctive attributes that make it worthy of that includes as a potted specimen. Along with its unique beauty as a cactus with lengthy, segmented stems, it has wild night blooms and vibrant, fleshy edible fruits in magenta or yellow.
Additionally referred to as pitahaya, the cactus is native to Mexico, Central, and South America, with widespread cultivation in Southeast Asia, the place it enjoys delicate temperatures, average moisture, and a dry season.
To reflect these rising situations, rising dragon fruit in containers lets us regulate temperature, moisture, and soil to meet its optimum cultural necessities.
For fruitful rewards from the vigorous, vine-like cactus, we’ll discover the perfect container, fill materials, location, and care. Dragon fruit can dwell for almost 20 years, making it a worthwhile rising alternative for a burst of tropical aptitude.
Dragon Fruit Traits
Dragon fruit (Selenicereus undatus) has massive and intensely aromatic blooms that open at evening to draw nocturnal pollinators. Tubular flowers are pink or white, relying on the species, and could be over one foot lengthy.
The night backyard comes alive with a specimen in flower. Moths and bats go to the nighttime blooms, which produce the showy berries after pollination.
The night-blooming cereus is usually self-pollinating or self-fruitful, producing fruits with out cross-pollination from one other close by specimen. Some, although, are self-sterile and depend on a distinct selection close by for pollination. Realizing your selection helps, although it might probably get a little bit muddled in cultivation in relation to dragonfruit.
In case your nursery isn’t positive of the species or selection, two or three several types of dragonfruit can increase fruiting. You’ll be able to even develop them in the identical massive pot.
The bizarre cactus has fleshy, triangular stems that sprawl, crawl, and climb. Stems develop lengthy and type aerial roots as they run. Most dragonfruit species root in soil, however others are epiphytes, residing within the crooks of bushes and crevices of rocks.
The thick-skinned fruits are about 5 inches lengthy with shiny pink, purple, or yellow pores and skin, relying on species, and could also be spiny or spineless. The pulpy inside is white, purple, or magenta, and speckled with a large number of tiny black seeds.
Optimum Temperatures
Dragon fruit thrives in climates which are largely frost-free. It’s hardy in USDA zones 10-11 and grows with winter safety in colder areas. In pitahaya’s native subtropical local weather, optimum rising temperatures are between 65 and 77°F (18-25°C). It does finest the place the temperature stays beneath 100°F (38°C).
The Proper Container
Dragon fruit often involves our gardens as nursery-potted specimens, which have a head begin towards sooner fruiting. In addition they develop simply from cuttings, whether or not from a pass-along plant or sourced by means of a grower. Cuttings produce fruit in a single to 2 years.
Pitahaya additionally grows from seed, with long-awaited fruit in 5 to seven years. Let cured cuttings develop in a smaller pot for about 4 to 6 months earlier than transitioning to a big container.
To decide on the perfect pot to develop dragon fruit in containers, account for the hefty mature progress of the strong vining stems and intensive roots. A big container of 25 to 35 gallons homes a single specimen properly. A pot that’s wider than it’s tall permits house for intensive roots and minimizes top-heaviness.
Be sure that the container has ample drainage holes, pretty much as good drainage is important for wholesome cactus roots.
Trellising
Dragon fruit and its sprawling, vine-like stems require help as they develop. Situate the helps within the container earlier than filling with soil. The vines develop upright the primary 12 months earlier than branching laterally and arching downward in subsequent seasons.
A publish and trellis setup holds the branches upright. A sturdy system helps the “trunk” (central vines) and the complete cover. A easy four-by-six-inch picket publish, 4 to 6 ft tall, does the job. Anchor the pole with rebar help or on a base of two crossing boards.
A picket body secured to the publish types a workable trellis. 4 to 6 items of two-by-four framing lumber craft an open field body to mount to the publish.
If rising from cuttings, place two or three across the publish to take most benefit of excessive manufacturing on the trellis.
Potting Medium
Pitahayas develop in a spread of soils so long as they’re quick-draining. In addition they want organically wealthy compositions. Pots give us the posh of beginning with a high-quality potting combine that’s fertile and lightweight with good aeration. To develop dragon fruit in containers, use a succulent soil blended with a little bit of compost.
A mulch layer in climates with sizzling summers helps insulate roots and retain moisture. To refresh vitamin and soil well being, topdress with compost every spring. Preserve the fabric off the stems to forestall burning or illness issues.
The Finest Gentle
Place dragon fruit containers the place they obtain full solar, however with shade safety towards intense afternoon rays. Whereas the cacti are full solar specimens of their native vary, their stems are inclined to sunburn and scorch. Partial shade within the first a number of months of improvement helps defend tender branches.
An east or south-facing placement (with gentle afternoon shade safety) gives the perfect publicity, particularly with good morning solar to help flowering and fruiting.
Water Wants
Along with the perfect location, temperatures, and potting medium, a bonus of rising dragon fruit in containers is the power to regulate moisture.
The tropical cacti are accustomed to drenching rains adopted by dry spells of their native vary, and so they stand up to drying a bit between waterings. An excessive amount of moisture and soggy soil result in illnesses like root rot, however constant water throughout the rising season helps fruiting.
Within the “off” season, pitahaya experiences a brief dry interval and dormancy. We will defend pots below cowl to keep away from winter rainfall and mirror their optimum situations. As soon as progress and flowering resume in spring, start watering often to obtain even soil moisture, permitting it to dry barely between periods.
When to Fertilize
Fertilizing, particularly within the first 12 months of progress, helps wholesome rooting and branching. A 6-6-6, 10-10-10, or related method in spring and once more in summer season gives a lift throughout the heat, lively months.
For the summer season rotation, chances are you’ll decide to make use of an N-P-Okay ratio with the next phosphorus (P) degree to help flowering and fruiting. Compost, too, enriches the prevailing potting media for spring and summer season.
Pruning for Measurement and Fruiting
Dragon fruit grows vigorously and advantages from pruning one to a few instances a 12 months to handle dimension and increase yields. Pruning and common coaching foster the perfect type and fruiting.
The primary pruning motion for potted specimens is to take away facet branches that develop off the central vine. Because the younger vegetation develop upright alongside their help publish, tie the central vine to the publish to safe it. As soon as vines attain the peak of the trellis or help body, minimize the information off stems to advertise lateral department progress. Tie the brand new stems to the body as they develop.
Later pruning for mature specimens fosters fruit manufacturing. Take away diseased, broken, or crossing stems anytime you see them. Trim any lengthy stems off the bottom. Skinny the cover if it turns into dense, heavy, or too massive for the trellis.
A dense crown can shade different stems and scale back fruit manufacturing, as full solar is required for fruiting. Practice and foster the healthiest, plumpest stems for productive dragon fruit in containers.
Harvesting
Full-colored fruits are prepared to reap from summer season by means of fall, relying on the local weather. Use pruners to chop the fruit from the stem to keep away from damaging the stems or the fruit with hand pulling. Clip the stem flush to the highest of the fruit after choosing for storage.
The candy, juicy dragon eggs retailer for 4 to 5 days at room temperature. Within the fridge, they’ll final for a number of weeks.
Overwintering
In case your local weather experiences extended temperature dips beneath the mid-40s (round 4°C), plan to convey potted specimens indoors for the winter. Pitaya tolerates a light-weight frost and recovers rapidly, however received’t stand up to temperatures beneath freezing for lengthy, and may obtain injury beneath 40°F (4°C). Outdoors of zones 10 to 11, they want winter safety.
Mature vegetation could be laborious to maneuver as a result of their hefty vines on the trellis. Transfer them to the closest shiny, heat spot, whether or not inside or in a greenhouse. Situate the pots in a shiny indoor location, out of direct afternoon solar (or with a curtain filter).
A number of ft away from a south-facing window works nicely. If the indoor spot lacks adequate lighting, develop lights can complement.
To keep up their dry interval, scale back watering within the cool season. Moisture uptake and evaporation are sluggish. However, to forestall soils and roots from drying out utterly, water dragon fruit in containers when the soil is dry a few inches beneath the floor.