Hylocereus undatus Syn. Cereus undatus, Cereus tricostatus, Cereus triangularis

Common names:

French Names: Fruit du Dragon, Reine de la nuit, Cierge à trois côtes, raquette tortue, Pitahaya

Creole Names: Pitaya, Ponm jaden

English Names: Dragon fruit, Night-blooming cactus, Night-blooming cereus, Queen of the night, Strawberry pear

Spanish Names: Pitajaya, Pitaya

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FAMILY

CACTACEAE

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ETYMOLOGY

Pitaya means 'scaly fruit, dragon' in taino. Hylo means 'forest', its habitat and cereus 'torch' in relation to the large white flowers that open at night.

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ORIGIN

Mexico

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DESCRIPTION

Semi-epiphytic cactus, crawling and climbing emitting aerial roots to cling to a support. It has small thorns on the edges of its smooth, green and triangular stems.

Size: 6-12 m

No leaves.

White flowers, spectacular scents, hermaphrodite and nocturnal. Size: 25 cm in diameter.

Pink to red fruits, oblong, covered with large foliaceous scales and devoid of thorns. White pulp, dotted with small black seeds, reminiscent of kiwi. Size: 12 cm. Weight: 300-800 g.

Night flowering from May to November, lasts only a few hours.

Fruiting from June to December

Harvest: 30-45 days after flowering

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NEEDS

Average watering

All types of humiferous and well-drained soil.

Exposure: semi-shade, but tolerates full sun and high temperatures.

Rusticity: -3°C

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CULTURE

Easy.

Provide a solid support (T-stake, trellising, tree) on which the branches can rest and fall. Bring it back in the winter to a bright room, minimum 10°C and reduce watering.

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CARE

- Repot every 3-4 years at the beginning of spring, before growth resumes.

- Remove old substrate and dead roots. Line the new pot with coarse sand or stones and use a draining substrate.

- After harvesting the fruits, remove the dead branches located at the bottom and top of the plant.

- Manual cross-politicization.

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MULTIPLICATION

Seeds

- Easy and quick sowing at 25°C.

- Light and draining substrate: 2/3 soil, 1/3 sand.

- Sow at 1-2mm, tamp lightly and keep moist. Clarify when the first 'true leaf' appears.

- Fructification 3 years later.

 

Cutting

- Stem cutting of 50-70 cm. Cut at the level of the joint. Let heal a few days and plant in place or in a pot.

- Substrate: 1/3 peat, 2/3 sand.

- Water regularly and place the pot at 15-18°C minimum, in a bright place.

- Fructification 1 year after.

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USES

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ORNAMENTAL USE

Grown for ornament in many tropical countries.

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FOOD USE

Fruits are very popular plain but also in juice or sorbet.

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OTHER USES

Very good rootstock.

ANECDOTES

There is an endemic species of Guadeloupe, Hylocereus trigonus.​

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SOURCES

-Flore illustrée des phanérogames de Guadeloupe et de Martinique - Jacques Fournet - Ed CIRAD - GONDWANA EDITIONS - T1 P228

- https://www.quandarrosermaplante.com/plantes-interieur/cactus/hylocereus-undatus/? utm_content=expand_article

- https://www.jardiner-malin.fr/fiche/hylocereus-undatus-pitaya.html

- Technical Manual, Plant Diversification Crops in Guadeloupe Edition 202 - Assofwi - P96

- Guadeloupe Fruit and Vegetable Directory - Gérald Veyssière - Ed Orphie - P158

- Tropical fruits, know and cultivate my fruit trees - Fabrice et Valérie Le Bellec - Ed Orphie - P176

- The ledger of tropical fruits - Fabrice Le Bellec et Valérie Renard - Ed Orphie - P98