Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus, Fruit
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Caribbean, Central America
Mexico
Types
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
38
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-158-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Gold
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the Soil well drained
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Bold
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
As decorated salad, Beautification
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
-
Biomass for fuel, Employed in herbal medicine, Fine spines and trichomes are used as fiber for weaving, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
HYLOCEREUS undatus
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Red Pitaya
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Red Pitaya
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Red Pitaya
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Hylocereus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Cacteae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
202
1
27800
👆🏻