Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I'm thinking about getting one of these. Does anyone have it? Preferably someone in California so I don't have to pay for the phyto.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Lots of people growing it in Southern CA.:08:

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I'd also like it if that person would be able to ship. I don't have the time to drive all the way down to the San Diego area.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

:08:

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I think you'd like "American Beauty" (Hylocereus guatemalensis) better.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Okay. I might be interested in buying it then. I'll PM you if I am. Also, would I be able to grow it and get it to fruit successfully in zone 9b (Silicon Valley area)?

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Hylocereus (dragon fruit) are tree-climbing cactus from non-rainforest areas of central and northern south-america. Frozen plant == Dead plant.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

It might be possible to grow it in Silicone Valley in most winters if it was given a little bit of protection such as frost cloth. My Physical Graffiti got damaged badly this past winter, maybe killed completely, after going through 35 mornings with frost and getting down to 22F one morning. I would select Paul Thomson's 8-S or 'Houghton' (one of the parents used to develop 8-S) since both of my plants of that survived the winter fairly well and produce excellent-tasting fruit, albeit small (maybe 5-6 ounces). I will use my P.G. cuttings for my own needs and don't have any extra of the other two either, but you could write to Linda at Dragonfruit and she would probably sell you cuttings by mail of 8-S (she calls S-8 like many other people since Paul apparently spoke of it with this name but wrote in his book that it was called 8-S, the "S" standing for "seedling").

Giant Vietnamese also survived my winter very well but the fruit is not so tasty. Okay, I'll say I've never found it to be very interesting.

I think Paul's 'Delight' might be fairly hardy since it had one H. undatus parent and it tastes pretty nice. I just have one small plant of it as the original one I got wasn't labeled correctly, I believe.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Oh, I just saw that the link Tony posted is a Craig's List ad by Linda and her husband Geri. They are very nice people. Geri is also pretty handy at making wine from pitaya and it was from pretty good from what I remember. :)

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Thanks, but Richard has got it covered for me. :)

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I received the plants. Thanks, Richard! :08:

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I took a cutting from my physical graffiti DF so I could give to my parents, but I noticed today that instead of growing limbs its sprouting a flower. Should I cut it?
Thanks

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I had the same thing happen on my H. ocamponis. It will probably fall off on its own.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Yaay my dragon fruit is forming flowers again. Counted 5. I hope these make it.

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Off subject, but...I just had the first dragon fruit of my life last night. It was incredible! Like a giant kiwi but more beautiful!

I'd never even seen one of these before in the grocery stores where I live. Never in my whole life. But yesterday they had about 8. No prices, just the 8 dragon fruits. They were right in between $1 mangoes and $1 avocados. When I checked out, I found that they were $7.50 apiece ($12.50/lb)! Still went ahead and bought them for the first time experience, though, and it was worth it.

What a frickin' awesome plant and fruit!

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Over rated fruit. Nothing special.They're are being sold because they can get high prices for them. Different yes better than a good peach,plum,apple ?

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

By my palette, I'd say better than plums and apples but not quite on par with peaches. Definitely not worth $7.50 apiece (1st-time purchase being an exception).

Here's how I'd approximately rank my favorite fruits at the moment (this actually proved pretty hard, since I love so many):

1) mangoes
2) bananas (the lowly Cavendish grocery store bananas)
3) cantaloupe
4) watermelon
5) peaches
6) oranges
7) cherries
8) pineapple
9) dragon fruit
10) kiwi
11) grapes
12) plums
13) pears
14) apples
15) raspberries

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

Is there going to be a "rate your fruit" thread next? :^)

Re: Dragon Fruit 'Physical Graffiti'
 

I'd be in favor. I think it would be interesting to see where bananas rank on everybody's lists. Another fun aspect would be that I'd probably see some fruits listed that I've never tasted or even heard of, given the eclectic tastes of this board.