is dragon fruit a cactus or succulent Hylocereus undatus Pitahaya Dragon Fruit cutting – Planet Desert

is dragon fruit a cactus or succulent Hylocereus undatus Pitahaya Dragon Fruit cutting – Planet DesertHylocereus undatus Also know as Pitahaya or Dragon fruit plant, it is native to the Americas, It is the most widely cultivated species in the genus Description: Hylocereus undatus is a sprawling or vining, terrestrial or epiphytic cactus. They climb by use of aerial roots and can reach a height 10 meters or more growing on rocks and trees. They are very variable and closely related to Selenicereus. Flowers: Flowers are ornate, fragrant and beautiful

Hylocereus undatus

Also know as Pitahaya or Dragon fruit plant, it is native to the Americas, It is the most widely cultivated species in the genus

Description: Hylocereus undatus is a sprawling or vining, terrestrial or epiphytic cactus. They climb by use of aerial roots and can reach a height 10 meters or more growing on rocks and trees. They are very variable and closely related to Selenicereus.
Flowers: Flowers are ornate, fragrant and beautiful 25-35 cm long by 30 cm across , white with green outer tepals and bracts.
Blooming season: It bloom only at night, and usually the flower last just one night, in tropical climate the plants can have up to 4-6 flowering/fruiting cycles per year. In temperate climate they bloom In late spring to early summer
Fruits: If pollinated the Hylocereus produce edible red fruits with white pulpa up to 12 cm long.

Cultivation and Propagation: It grows best in dry, tropical or subtropical climates, it need full sun to partial shade. Shade is sometimes provided in hot climates. During the growing season (March-August), the plants are watered on a regular basis, making sure that they never dry out completely. In late August, water is restricted to about once a week until January. Night temperatures at this time should be about 10° C. In January or February, watering is stopped for a period of 4 weeks to aid in flower formation. In March, regular watering is resumed and the plant will flower in 6 to 8 weeks. Will tolerate temperatures to 45° C, and short periods of frost, but prolonged cold will damage or kill the plant.

Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz