Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus, Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Caribbean, Central America
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
White, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
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
Oblong or Lanceolate
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
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
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
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
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Red Pitaya
In German
Elefant von Apple
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
In French
Elephant d'Apple
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Red Pitaya
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Red Pitaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Hylocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cacteae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
120
1
27800
👆🏻