Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Cactus, Fruit
Origin
Southern Africa
Caribbean, Central America
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1111-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
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
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
As decorated salad, Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Fruits
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Common Name
Carissia
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
In Hindi
Carissa
Red Pitaya
In German
carissa
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
In French
carissa
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
In Spanish
carissa
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
In Greek
carissa
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
In Portuguese
carissa
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
In Polish
carissa
Red Pitaya
In Latin
carissa
Red Pitaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Apocynaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Carissa
Hylocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Cacteae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
10020
1
27800
👆🏻