How long till dragon fruit fruit

On this page you will find all the information on how to grow your own dragon fruit! It is fairly easy to grow your own dragon fruit plant, but also the maintenance of this is all fairly doable. We try to cover every aspect of how to grow dragon fruit and give you tips from our own experience as well. Let’s dive into it:

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How do dragon fruit grow?
Best climate for growing dragon fruit
How to grow dragon fruit at home
How to support dragon fruit plants
How long do dragon fruit take to grow?
Tips from our own experience!

How do dragon fruit grow?

Growing dragon fruit cuttings is a quicker way to grow pitayas than growing seeds. Of course, if you have the patience, you can also grow dragon fruit from seeds. The process is longer, but still the whole process can be very satisfying. For now, we will only discuss how dragon fruits will grow from the cuttings. Check out the step-by-step instructions below on how to grow dragon fruit cuttings and the dragon fruit growing conditions:

1. Preparing the soil. Dragon fruit cuttings need at least 6 hours of sunlight to grow. Pick your spot wisely! Make sure that you choose a well-drained potting soil that is able to retain moisture well. The right type of soil for dragon fruit should mainly contain a low nitrogen level and high phosphorus.
2. Curing the cuttings. Once your dragon fruit cuttings have arrived, allow them to settle in and get used to the climate. Also track which way is up for the cutting. Dragon fruit cuttings need to grow upright in order to grow properly.
3. Planting the dragon fruit cuttings. Plant the pitaya cuttings around 2-5 centimeters into the soil and press the soil tightly around the cuttings base.
4. Watering the pitaya cuttings. Water the bed evenly and consistently. You will see progress after about 4 weeks! However, if the topsoil is still wet, you can skip it for a day. One thing to remember when watering dragon fruit, they don’t need a lot of water due to the fact that they are cactus plants.
5. Transplanting cuttings. When the dragon fruit cuttings get bigger, transfer them to different pots to allow them to grow even bigger.
6. Support system. Since dragon fruits are climbing cacti, they need a skeleton of wood or a different framework that they can climb.

We continuously offer all kinds of dragon fruit varieties. Think of the colours, purple, yellow, red, pink, but also white, etc. Curious about the different species? Go to the following page to see our complete collection of more than 18 different varieties.

Best climate for growing dragon fruit

The pitaya is a subtropical cactus from central- and south America. This of course means that it thrives in warm, humid environments either out- or inside. The most optimal dragon fruit climate requirements can be stated as the following: the cutting needs to stay in temperatures between 12 degrees celsius and 32.2 degrees celsius.

How to grow dragon fruit at home

Starting to grow your own dragon fruit at home can be much fun and very satisfying. Perhaps you are able to buy any dragon fruit at your local grocery store, but how fantastic is it to just have these at home and grow them yourself? Depending on where you live of course, you can choose between growing the cuttings inside or outside. In the next section we have listed the disadvantages and advantages of growing cuttings indoors and outdoors.

Growing pitaya indoors

Our preferred option of starting with growing dragon fruit, is to begin the process indoors. The main reason is because room temperature is ideal for young cuttings to grow! Next to that, you don’t have to be afraid of frost, rain or other climatic conditions that could negatively influence the growth of your dragon fruit plant. You are able to control the indoor climate of your home, which is ideal for optimal growing conditions. As we have mentioned before, the pitaya plant needs at least 6 hours of sunlight to grow. So make sure that you place the cutting near a window! Check below all the information about how to grow dragon fruit outside.

Growing pitaya outside

The other option is to grow your pitaya cuttings on a plot of land or in your backyard. This is, however, only possible if you live in a stable tropical or subtropical climate. Your plant will not survive cold weather! As we have mentioned earlier, pitaya cuttings have to be kept in temperatures between 12 degrees celsius and 32.2 degrees celsius. Yet again, it’s really important to place the cuttings in a sunny spot and also make sure that it has enough support from either a fence or trellis to grow upon. The flowers of dragon fruit plants are absolutely gorgeous and will add a lot of beauty to your garden.

How to support dragon fruit plants

Dragon fruit cuttings need support in order to climb up. We will tell you everything about how do dragon fruit grows. Since dragon fruits are climbing cacti, they need a vertical skeleton of wood or a different framework that they can climb up on. If you are handy, you can also fabricate a dragon fruit support frame yourself. They need some sort of support as they can be quite heavy (up to hundreds of pounds), so there is less stress on the fruit tree itself. Keep in mind that the top platform should be strong enough to endure a strong wind so that it won’t break off the dragon fruit branches.

How long do dragon fruit take to grow?

After you have potted your cuttings, you naturally want to know how long it will take to expect fruit. In general, cuttings will grow rapidly under the right conditions and can produce fruit after 6 to 9 months from propagation of dragon fruit. If you would rather try your luck with growing fruits from seeds, you will have to wait for at least 5 years before there will be any fruit present. Quite the difference right, on how to grow dragon fruit and how long does it take to grow dragon fruit?

Tips from our own experience!

Do not dig the cutting into the ground, but put it on the ground (otherwise it may rot).
Soil must be airy, so humus and if possible manure (cow) and some charcoal.
When they go into the ground, make a mound around the post so that the cuttings never end up in a pool of water. (otherwise they may rot)
Place the cutting against a post so that it can also create aerial roots so that the cutting gets a grip on the post.
Dragons create a network of superficial roots, these should not dry out in the sun, you can use low bedding plants that do not put many roots around them as shade plants.
Remove the side shoots, the cutting has to go up and side shoots take too much strength from the plant (The side shoots are new cuttings, so you can propagate them yourself).
When growing buds, put some patent potash around the plant for fruiting.
Coping with any damage? Cinnamon powder on the wound works very well.
Let the young side shoot dry for a few days in the light (not in the sun). Thereafter, put the young side shoot in a little water / in a pot with sphagnum or plant directly in the ground. Our experience is that very wet sphagnum in a pot provides warmth and protection at the same time as rooting quickly. If the cutting is very crooked, you can carefully tie it up on a twig/stick immediately after drying, as it is still flexible.

Hopefully, you are now more up to date on how to grow dragon fruit. Have you already reached that point and do you want to know when the fruit is ripe? Check out our blog which explains all about how to know if dragon fruit is ripe, or check our other blogs to find out more information. You can of course always send us an email for further questions, we are more than happy to guide or help you!

If you're looking for a truly other-worldly fruit to grow, look no further than dragon fruit. Also sometimes known as pitahaya, dragon fruit is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America, and is one of several different fruits grown from cacti.

Known for its bright pink, leathery skin, dragon fruit is sweet on the inside, featuring bright white flesh and tiny black seeds. Not only will you have a harvest of this unusual, nutritious, and showy fruit if you grow a dragon fruit cactus, but these fast-growing perennial cacti also have ornamental value in your garden landscape or in your home.

Best planted in spring, dragon fruit cacti can grow up to 20 feet tall and produce aerial roots that allow them to cling to surfaces, creating their creeping, climbing habit. Dragon fruit cacti can take up to seven years to produce fruit from seeds, but if you plant a cutting, you may have a harvest within one to three years.

Botanical Name	Hylocereus undatus
Common Name	Dragon fruit, pitahaya, strawberry pear, Honolulu queen, moonlight cactus
Plant Type	Cactus
Mature Size	10–20 ft. tall, 5–10 ft. wide
Sun Exposure	Full sun, partial shade
Soil Type	Sandy, well-drained
Soil pH	Neutral to acidic
Bloom Time	Spring, summer, fall, winter
Flower Color	White
Hardiness Zones	10–12 (USDA)
Native Area	Mexico, Central America, South America

The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy The long cactus stems of the dragonfruit plant can reach up to six meters in length HuyThoai / Getty Images The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy

To successfully grow your own dragon fruit plant, you'll need to live in a warm and sunny region and have ample space in your garden—this is a heavy cactus, with a spreading habit and long stems. Make sure it's planted far enough away from your home, electrical lines, and any other hazardous objects it could interact with. It will also usually need to be supported by a strong trellis.

Although dragon fruit plants enjoy warm weather and are often planted in full sunlight, too much intense sun in dry or especially hot regions can cause stem damage. If temperatures in your area are frequently near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it's best to plant your cactus in a spot that boasts partial shade. Likewise, it's important to be aware that too much shade can result in less abundant fruit production and the quality of your harvest may not be as impressive.

Dragon fruit cacti are not terribly fussy when it comes to their soil type or pH level. The key is that their soil is moist, rich in organic matter, and well-draining. Cacti experts also recommend mulching around the base of the plant—especially in drier regions—to help the soil retain its moisture.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because this plant is a cactus, you can slack on the watering front. While dragon fruit cacti do have some drought tolerance, in order to produce a good fruit crop, it's best to water them consistently from when they start producing their flowers until you harvest your dragon fruit crop. However, excessive watering can also result in root rot and various forms of fungal disease. During the winter and into early spring, give the plant a necessary dry spell to induce prolific flowering.

Dragon fruit plants are not suitable for every garden. Because they are native to tropical regions, they won't do well in areas that experience freezing weather, especially if that freeze is prolonged. Temperatures ranging from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit are considered optimal growing conditions for dragon fruit cacti.

Dragon fruit cacti are rather hungry plants, and feeding them every couple of months during their first year, using a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer, is recommended. Once the plants are well-established, they should do fine with just a few applications of fertilizer annually. You should also plan to amend the soil with compost or organic matter a couple of times a year, too.

If you neglect to prune your dragon fruit cactus, the chances of fungal disease and insect infestation will increase. It can also result in poor light penetration for the tangled center stems, which can impact fruit production. Regular pruning also encourages prolific flowering and prevents the plant from becoming too heavy for the trellis it's growing up.

Plan to periodically cut back any overly long, damaged, tangled, or dead stems as often as two or three times per year. If you're lucky (or have a younger plant), you may be able to get away with a single annual pruning session, which can be done after you're through harvesting the fruit.

Some dragon fruit cultivars are self-incompatible, which means you may need a few different types to ensure a better chance of fruit production through cross-pollination. Because most cultivars have a nocturnal flowering habit, you may need to hand-pollinate, as there may not be any bees or other pollinators around to do it for you. Even with this method, it can take up to six or seven years before dragon fruit cacti begin fruit-bearing if started from seed.

Fortunately, it's easy to propagate new plants from stem cuttings. To do so, begin by taking a decent-sized cutting (up to 10 inches in length) from a healthy stem. Treat the cut end with a fungicide, then plant it cut-side down in a pot that has been filled with a combination of potting soil and a bit of sand. Water the cutting slightly (do not soak) and set the pot in a shady location to "cure" for around a week. You can expect the cutting to grow quickly and may find that it begins bearing fruit in under a year.

You will know your dragon fruit is ready to harvest when the flaps on the pink outer skin start to develop a withered appearance. If it's ripe, you should be able to twist it from the stem with ease—any fruit that has fallen from the stem on its own tends to be overripe, so timing your harvest properly is important. If kept in the refrigerator, dragon fruit can last up to two weeks.

Dragon fruit is rather exotic and may not be to everyone's taste. For those who do enjoy it, it's packed with vitamin C and lots of other beneficial minerals and antioxidants. The large, edible flowers that are produced by the cactus are also impressive—they tend to be white and have a strong fragrance. However, they are usually nocturnal, so you'll only get to enjoy (and pick) them once the sun has gone down.

Depending on where you live, wild animals could find your dragon fruit crop appealing. You may need to take measures to protect your cactus and its fruit from rats, raccoons, birds, and more. The plants are also attractive to ants, mealybugs, mites, and slugs.

Stem and fruit canker and rot can be an issue for dragon fruit cacti as well. To avoid these types of issues, ensure your cactus gets the right amount of sun, moisture, and air circulation.