Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus, Fruit
Tree
Origin
Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Types
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
-
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-1510-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm1,520.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Gold
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Light Green, Gray Green
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
Toothed
Maple shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very 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
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the Soil well drained
Water daily during growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Moderate
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Insects
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
As decorated salad, Beautification
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Moisturizing, used as a dye
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Cramps, Dermatitis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
-
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Sauces, Used as firewood
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
HYLOCEREUS undatus
ALEURITES moluccanus
Common Name
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
Candleberry, Candlenut, Kukui
In Hindi
Red Pitaya
Aleurites moluccanus
In German
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
Lichtnussbaum
In French
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
Aleurites moluccana
In Spanish
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
Aleurites moluccanus
In Greek
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
Aleurites moluccanus
In Portuguese
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
Nogueira-de-iguape
In Polish
Red Pitaya
Nogueira-de-iguape
In Latin
Red Pitaya
Aleurites moluccanus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Euphorbiales
Family
Cactaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Hylocereus
Aleurites
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cacteae
Aleuritideae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Crotonoideae
Number of Species
2050
1
27800
👆🏻