Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus, Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Caribbean, Central America
Types
-
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Number of Varieties
-3
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1211-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,370.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,520.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Gray Green
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Gray
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green, Gray
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires a lot of 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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
-
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
Showy
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
As decorated salad, Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, Diarrhea, Digestive disorders, Dysentry, Fever, Tooth ache
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used As Food
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALEURITES moluccanus
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Common Name
Candleberry, Candlenut, Kukui
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
In Hindi
candlenut पेड़
Red Pitaya
In German
Candlenut Baum
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
In French
arbre Candlenut
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
In Spanish
árbol candlenut
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
In Greek
candlenut δέντρο
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
In Portuguese
candlenut árvore
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
In Polish
Tung Molukański drzewo
Red Pitaya
In Latin
Candlenut ligno
Red Pitaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Dicotyledonae
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Aleurites
Hylocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Aleuritideae
Cacteae
Subfamily
Crotonoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
60020
1
27800
👆🏻