Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus, Fruit
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Caribbean, Central America
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
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
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
As decorated salad, Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Red Pitaya
In German
Lignum Vitae
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
In French
Lignum Vitae
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
In Spanish
Palo santo
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
In Portuguese
pau-santo
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Red Pitaya
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Red Pitaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Hylocereus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cacteae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
320
1
27800
👆🏻