misidentified dragon fruit- advice?

[irun5k]

Hi all, two years ago I bought a dragon fruit at Lowes that didn't have a variety name but it did have the grower's name.  I emailed the grower and they said it was Hylocereus undatus, Vietnamese Jaina.

I've had a world of trouble getting it to fruit, even with hand pollination.  Dozens of flowers have just fallen off.  We just got our first runt (an understatement - that is a tiny dessert size paper plate it is on) fruit but it was enough for me to tell that it sure as heck isn't Vietnamese Jaina.  Deep, deep red inside.

So who knows what it is but maybe this explains a few things.  Do I need a separate pollinator?  Can the pollinator be a plant started from a cutting of this same plant, or should it be a different cultivar altogether?  Appreciate any tips or advice!

[simon_grow]

Looks like H Polyrhizus. Maybe Bloody Mary or Red Jaina. Zamorano is a much rounder fruit and the cactus looks different than normal DF so I’m ruling it out. Low production is probably because it needs cross pollination by another variety. I highly recommend S8 also known as Sugar Dragon. S8 produces the smallest fruit but it’s one of the sweetest. It also produces the most flowers spread throughout the entire season and thus there is better chances for cross pollination.

Simon

[irun5k]

Maybe Bloody Mary or Red Jaina. Zamorano is a much rounder fruit and the cactus looks different than normal DF so I’m ruling it out.

Thanks- those were my two guesses also after looking at the Pine Island viewer.  I was thinking about this, and even if I introduce another plant it seems the chances of them blooming on the same night would be exceedingly rare.  Could the pollen from one plant be frozen and used later to pollinate another.  (gosh that is starting to sound like a lot of work.)   Perhaps I should just scrap it and buy a better self fertile cultivar.

[simon_grow]

In my opinion, the red fleshed varieties aren’t as good tasting as the neon purple/pink varieties like American Beauty. You should keep your plant and add American Beauty and Sugar Dragon. The more varieties you have, the less you have to worry about cross pollination.

I’m no expert on DF but I don’t believe pollen from the same variety/plant can be used to pollinate the same plant.

Simon

[simon_grow]

If you’re limited on space, you can grow your DF in pots. I grow all my DF in large fabric pots and they are neglected but they still produce a lot of fruit every year without hand pollination. Here’s a great thread on growing DF in pots

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=25578.0

Here’s a picture of my neglected American Beauty plant on my rotting back patio. It used to be a lot more fruitful producing fruit on the lower level and upper level but the vine is getting really old and I have not done any rejuvenation trimming.


Simon