Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Cactus, Fruit
Origin
South America
Caribbean, Central America
Types
V. × heilbornii
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Number of Varieties
03
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1111-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
As decorated salad, Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
In Hindi
Babaco
Red Pitaya
In German
Babaco
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
In French
Babaco
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
In Spanish
Babaco
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
In Greek
Babaco
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
In Portuguese
Babaco
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
In Polish
Babaco
Red Pitaya
In Latin
Babaco
Red Pitaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Caryophyllales
Family
Caricaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Hylocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cacteae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
120
1
27800
👆🏻