Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus, Fruit
Herbs
Origin
Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Asia
Types
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Gold
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep the Soil well drained
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
-
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
As decorated salad, Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
-
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
Red Pitaya
हल्दी
In German
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
Kurkuma
In French
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
curcuma
In Spanish
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
Curcuma longa
In Greek
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
curcuma
In Polish
Red Pitaya
kurkuma
In Latin
Red Pitaya
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Zingiberales
Family
Cactaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Hylocereus
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cacteae
Zingibereae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
20100
1
27800
👆🏻