Man these are cool, where can i get some cuttings from?
Dragon Fruit
- Thread starter synclinorium
- Start date
You can find cuttings for sale on ebay, though I don't know how accurate the varieties listed are... ebay can be a crapshoot when buying plants. Matt's landscape also sells cuttings, rooted and unrooted, though they're a bit pricey.
As for seeds.... well, good luck. Most places don't bother with seeds, considering how much longer it takes for the plant to grow to maturity from seed, and since Pitaya is easily capable of cross-pollinating with other varieties you need to make sure that the blooms are isolated... fortunately the blossoms only last a single night from my understanding, but good luck isolating 14-inch flowers...
I'd recommend looking for cuttings. With any of the named cultivars, you're going to have a difficult time finding them unless they're sourced from a nursery, or if you know someone who is currently growing the particular cultivar.
Oh, and Natural Mystic (along with many of the other cultivars) is a hybrid, meaning you can't save the seeds from the plant and have them produce true. Another reason that seeds aren't bothered with.
As for seeds.... well, good luck. Most places don't bother with seeds, considering how much longer it takes for the plant to grow to maturity from seed, and since Pitaya is easily capable of cross-pollinating with other varieties you need to make sure that the blooms are isolated... fortunately the blossoms only last a single night from my understanding, but good luck isolating 14-inch flowers...
I'd recommend looking for cuttings. With any of the named cultivars, you're going to have a difficult time finding them unless they're sourced from a nursery, or if you know someone who is currently growing the particular cultivar.Oh, and Natural Mystic (along with many of the other cultivars) is a hybrid, meaning you can't save the seeds from the plant and have them produce true. Another reason that seeds aren't bothered with.
mine are really taking off, they spprouted up 2 in in just a lil over a week. I will have some pieces soon, if anyone wants to trade, I have Haileys comet...
That was 3 months ago I believe...
Still too cold for mine to be doing much...
Weather has warmed and it's high time I post an update... **** these things grow fast. I don't know how well my MacGyver'ed support structure will hold up as time goes on, but considering this will be the last season before I need to move them it probably won't matter too much. The individual vines stand at about 4 feet currently, I'll probably top them soon to get them to branch more... not that most of them need it.
Growing Dragon Fruit outside of tropical areas... not for the faint of heart...
Growing Dragon Fruit outside of tropical areas... not for the faint of heart...
So how do they get the dragon fruit to grow like this:
Once it grows to a certain size does it just branch out and start falling around the pole like this or do you have to train it like this somehow?
Once it grows to a certain size does it just branch out and start falling around the pole like this or do you have to train it like this somehow?
So how do they get the dragon fruit to grow like this:
Once it grows to a certain size does it just branch out and start falling around the pole like this or do you have to train it like this somehow?
I've seen a couple of them put out new growth on their own, so maybe they just start branching after the get to a certain size. The weight of the vines will cause them to droop down, I've already had a problem with a few and it's starting to happen again with some of the new growth. I'll need to tie them in place for now.
You can almost measure mine growing daily... I finally got a trellis system made, so I will let the 2 go now that they reached the top. I have some Haileys Comet Cuttings if someone has a different flavor they would like to trade for...
Wow synclinorium, im jelous lol. Mine too are growing daily.
I had a freak infestation of cut worms this year and it seems they LOVE the new growth on these things and they did some damage to one of mine. But all it did was heal up and sprout out 3 more sections lol, they really are amazing.
Ill try to get a pic up asap.
I had a freak infestation of cut worms this year and it seems they LOVE the new growth on these things and they did some damage to one of mine. But all it did was heal up and sprout out 3 more sections lol, they really are amazing.
Ill try to get a pic up asap.
I've noticed something is eating the new growth, there are areas where the tissue is scarred and thin, but I haven't found the culprits yet... ants love the dew excreted near the spines, but other than that I haven't noticed any pests.
I think I'll let mine grow a bit more before I take any cuttings, but I might take you up on that soon. I'll probably be removing the new growth further down; I've heard you should only have a couple vines until they reach the top of the support. Purple Haze, American Beauty, and Lake Atitlan will probably be the first ones to get the axe, as it were.
Pretty sure it's normal. I've only seen it on the new growth, and especially after I've watered them. Didn't even think about slugs, they've been pretty quiet this year from what I've seen.
Thought I would post a few pictures of what my dragon fruit seedlings look like if anybody is curious. They are about 1 month and a week old.
Do you guys suggest I should pot them up? I have no idea how sturdy those stems and roots are so a bit afraid of touching them, was thinking I would let them get a bit bigger first.
Do you guys suggest I should pot them up? I have no idea how sturdy those stems and roots are so a bit afraid of touching them, was thinking I would let them get a bit bigger first.
Mine isn't doing so well, I'm having better luck with my cactus pears. They are tiny for beign 3 mo old and the cold isn't helping. Might move one indoors until it gets bigger.
with no cold weather this year, mine are huge, so I am hoping for a harvest this year... still have cutting if anyone wants to trade...
Not an expert here, but I read somewhere that seed to fruit is ~3 years, and cutting to fruit is 1 -1.5 years.