Dragon Fruit
 

There is actually a fruit called a dragon fruit. The fruit looks like dragon eggs! How awesome is that?! And I hear that they are rare.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

do you mean pitaya!!
I've eaten once a yellow one(not a great taste, but still nice) but I want to eat a pink one! they look deliciouis.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

I've never had a dragon fruit, but I want to sometime.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

you want dragon fruit? i got it, its great, i do have the red, not the yellow pitahaya, the name of mine is Hylocereus undatus, common names are dragon fruit,pitahaya and or strawberry pear, let me know if you want one,pm me i can help you out Mason....... its very much like kiwi feel with a little kick!!!!!!! NICE!!!!!!!!!!
jeff

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Idea to eat a dragon fruit, put it in the freezer and let it freeze then slice it in half and eat it with a spoon like an ice crem. Tast better this way.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Here's a link to an article I wrote on Dragon Fruit: Pitaya, The Dragon Fruit
... and some photos in my Gallery: Banana Gallery - Pitayas
I should probably update the photos as the plants are now much larger.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

I have the yellow ones - Selenecerus megalanthus - and I'm quite fond of them. Awesome as a freezer snack, but my fave is to juice them with fresh agave syrup. The resulting beverage tastes like fresh rain smells.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Those of us in non-equatorial climates are totally jealous! It takes 5 to 9 months for the Selenecerus megalanthus fruits to ripen here and they taste poor compared the ones shipped fresh from your neighborhood. On the otherhand, the Hylocereus fruits ripen in 30 to 50 days in southern CA.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Richard, I thought about buying one down in SoCal for the flowers alone. Ong's Nursery had one in bloom that was fantastic. He had them in hanging baskets but I wasn't sure if that was just a temporary growing condition or not. I had never seen them in hanging baskets before.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

That's probably because as it grows, the basket loses its ability to support the mass of cactus. In Ecuador, at least, these things get honkin' big and heavy, and then they throw big heavy pitayas. I grow mine on a wooden support frame I built out of 2x4's.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

They can get large in California also. Even here in northern California there has been some success. Here is a photo of a nice structure supporting some being grown in Hayward, California (SF Bay Area) which is recovering from the big freeze we had in January 2007:

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

True, some are grown on trellis' leaning at 60-degrees against a tall fence or sturdy post. Mine are being trained upward to an 2' x 8' horizontal trellis mounted on a fence. The farms in Mexico train them up a 4 x 4 (inches) post to shoulder height, then through a used automobile tire mounted on top. Only 3 branches are allowed up the post but at the top branching is encouraged. The result is a fountain of pitaya. Shown here are one of mine along with the training system at the ANR testbed in southern California:

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Hey Richard,
I read your article on the pitaya and it said that it has seeds in the fruit. Is it possible to propgate a plant from the seeds??? Being in Canada it is highly unlikely that I'll be able to come across a cutting, but seeds on the other hand might just be a viable option to look into.
I love to grow plants that aren't supposed to grow in this climate and since my husband and I are into medievel recreation and ren fairs etc, a dragon fruit tree would fit just nicely into our weapons room:)

Sherry aka Lady Saphyra

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

You can grow them from seed ... and depending what the fruits were pollinated with they might or might not come true to type. Consider obtaining American Beauty or Physical Graffiti from Pine Island Nursery, or stay tuned for the next time some appear in the Classifieds here, or post your own wanted ad there indicating what you will pay or trade.
:goteam:

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Dragon Fruit looks a lot like a cactus.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Dragon fruit are cactus fruit.

Down here, there are three classes of cactus fruit - Pitahaya (Dragonfruit), Tuna (Prickly Pears, white or red flesh), and San Pedritos (fruit of the San Pedro cactus). And then there's Nopales but this is actually the cooked fleshy leaves of Prickly pear, not a fruit.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Very true. The names Pitahaya or Pitaya are used by different peoples to describe fruits of different, mostly central American cacti. Of these, 'Dragon Fruit' refers to the fruits of the Hylocereus and Selenicereus species, both of which are vining tropical cacti native to Central and equatorial South America.

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Here is our start of Dragon Fruit, Thanks to Richard!:woohoonaner:
American Beauty



Physical Graffiti

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Richard was kind enough to bring me four cuttings a few months ago. Three are growing quite quickly, and one is just now starting to take off. I am so anxious to see them bloom and taste the fruit!

Re: Dragon Fruit
 

Pine Island at least points out that some need a Pollenator. Mine came from a mail-order nursery that didn't. For yrs I thought it was my fault that it wouldn't produce. 'Course, it still doesn't since I can't afford to buy another plant but at least I know it's not my fault;>! Besides, the blossoms are pretty...
Cheers,
Pat