Hylocereus Undatus
Family
cactaceae
Native
Unknown
Description
Dragonfruit stems are scandent (climbing habit), creeping, sprawling or clambering, and branch profusely. There can be 4-7 of them, between 5 and 10 m or longer, with joints from 30-120 cm or longer, and 10-12 cm thick; with generally three ribs; margins are corneous (horn-like) with age, and undulate.
Stems are triangular, 3-sided, although sometimes 4- or 5-sided, green, fleshy, jointed, many branched. Flowers are typically white in colour and bell shaped, stamens and lobed stigmas are cream coloured. Fruit is a fleshy berry, oblong to ovoid, up to 6-12 cm long, 4-9 cm thick, red with large bracteoles, pulp white, edible, embedded with many small black seeds. Average fruit weight is 350-400 g
Environment
It is a fast growing, vine-like, tropical cactus grown for its fleshy. Optimum temperatures for growth are 18-25 �C, with good relative humidity levels. it may be injured by extreme sunlight and can tolerate some shade; however, it is considered to be a full sunlight crop in Central and South American countries. They do best in a loose soil, rich in organic matter, with a pH of 5.5-6.5 and not more than 50% slope. It fruit has a low water demand
Landscape Uses
It is used as an ornamental and as a fruit crop, It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small.
