Asked on Oct 01, 2014

Dragon fruit tree help

Alice G
by Alice G
Has anyone ever grown a dragon fruit tree? I bought a pretty good sized one in a gallon pot, but I don't know too much about it. Just wondering how to stake it?
  15 answers
  • Luis Luis on Oct 01, 2014
    Provide a support for the plant. The side branches and fruit can eventually weigh several hundred pounds. A strong T-shaped trellis is best.
  • Carole Carole on Oct 01, 2014
    I saw on a TV gardening show that they grow these commercially in Queensland in Australia. I have personally never seen one and thought it was fascinating and apparently the fruit it delicious. Wonderful looking tree. I hope you manage to get some great fruit from it and enjoy it for many years to come. Sorry I have no idea on how to stake it but Luis seems to have already answered your question regarding that.
  • Lisa L Lisa L on Oct 02, 2014
    They are native to the jungles of South and Central America. As such, they should be treated like a tropical plant, not a cactus. Moist soil, full of organic matter is best. Keep it moist and don't let it dry out, but be sure the soil can drain well. Good support is essential! Some direct sun is good, but not all day beating hot sun. Red varieties tend to be self-fruitful and don't require pollination. Fruit is perfectly ripe when the "wings" on the fruit begin to wither. It will snap fairly easily from the plant. If you wait till it falls it will be over-ripe. Enjoy! I don't have one, but hope to sometime soon! :-)
  • Victoria Victoria on Oct 02, 2014
    I live in Hawaii and they grow all over the place here. They will grow up just about anything strong enough to hold them, almost like a vine. I don't know what would be best specifically but something strong and with a thought toward controlling their growth. I've seen them grow up into very tall trees as well as wide throughout the tree.
  • Ing609510 Ing609510 on Oct 02, 2014
    First it is not a tree but a cactus, their fruit is extremely healhy, Often advised for cancer treatment too by the farmers and their companies. You can find many information in Thailand (where I live a great part of the year) very tastefull, red and white cactusfruit. Make juice! Success!
  • Leona G Leona G on Oct 02, 2014
    Here is what UFL has on this plant. Good luck.http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HS/HS30300.pdf
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Oct 02, 2014
    Hello Alice G, it has been a time since I saw a post from you...but then I have had connection problems. This plant looks fantastic. Good luck...keep us posted.
  • Liz Feeser-Regan Liz Feeser-Regan on Oct 02, 2014
    I have never seen one until now, very interesting, keep us posted.
  • Leilanie Leilanie on Oct 02, 2014
    It should be planted with a concrete straight post, a used bicycle tire at the upper tip hold by a crossed steel, when your cactus or dragon plant grows up, it eventually spread beautifully with the help of the tire and the crossed steel,. this enables to hold your plant that can bear 50-60 fruits the whole year round. We have our dragon farm here in the Philippines and you may take a peek with my fb account.
    • See 1 previous
    • Bethar Bethar on Oct 02, 2014
      @Leilanie Thanks for the info. My husband and I have a small one and have been wondering how we were going to stake it. How long does it take to get fruit?
  • Leilanie Leilanie on Oct 02, 2014
    Should be planted in direct sunlight, it does not need too much watering, and bears abundant fruits
  • Bea F Bea F on Oct 02, 2014
    I had never seen one. Very interesting, thanks for the share. Good Luck!
  • Gypsy Genie Gypsy Genie on Oct 03, 2014
    They are easy to care for. They are a succullant rather than a tree. Yes they do grow quite big over time, fruit usually appearing after around 2 or 3 years. Mine grows over a fence and a shed. I suspect the shed may eventually collapse in the future. Of course you can prune them and make new plants. Very easy. Another way is to provide pallets for them to grow over. You can arrange them like an arch. :)
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Oct 03, 2014
    Alice, you have gotten some great suggestions here. You may also want to check out this guide to growing dragon fruit from the University of Florida: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs303
  • Lisa L Lisa L on Oct 03, 2014
    Well, It seems it is sooo much easier to grow them outdoors where they get huge, if you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate! It is quite a challenge to grow non-hardy succulents and cacti in a temperate zone where they have to come in for the winter. :-( Good luck!!
  • Gypsy Genie Gypsy Genie on Oct 05, 2014
    I doubt they would fruit in a temperate zone. Sub/Tropical is the zone that suits them.