Interspecific/Intergeneric Dragonfruit Grafting

[Galatians522]

This post is about grafting Dragonfruit onto other cactus species and the benefits that this may provide. Even though Cacti have remarkable variation in appearence, they tend to have a high degree of graft compatibility within the family. I am wondering how we as fruit growers can use this to our advantage.

For example, maybe crest grafting to sturdy columnar cacti could create a permanent/inexpensive trellis that grew with the vine and never rotted? Or possibly some of the more drought tollerent species can be used as rootstocks in arid locations (such as Stenocerus pruinosus)? We might even find rootstocks that improve fruit size or quality.

I have successfully grafted dragonfruit to peruvian apple cactus (what species that is I will leave to the experts). I also have another graft on an unidentified semi-columnar cactus that is doing well. Opuntia (as suggested elsewhere on this forum) did not work for me, but that may just have been poor technique.

What are your thoughts and experiences?

[wonderfruit]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will try so I ve any experience to share.

[Galatians522]

I should correct one thing before someone points it out. The title of this thread should be Intergeneric Dragonfruit Grafting. Scientific names follow the pattern of "Genus species." My brain skipped a gear. For example, grafting a red dragonfruit (Hylocerus costaricensis for example) to a white (Hylocerus undatus) would be an example of an interspecific graft (same genus name but different species name). Grafting a yellow dragonfruit (Selenicereus megalanthus) to a white dragonfruit (Hylocerus undatus) would be an example of an intergeneric graft (different genus name). I highly suspect that any cacti with cerus anywhere in the genus name will be graft compatible with dragonfruit.

[spaugh]

theres a grafting dragonfruit facebook group if you arent already on it.  Most of the posts have nothing to do with grafting dragonfruit.  But occasionally theres people grafting different species of cactus onto one another.  Some of them look pretty cool.   

[Galatians522]

theres a grafting dragonfruit facebook group if you arent already on it.  Most of the posts have nothing to do with grafting dragonfruit.  But occasionally theres people grafting different species of cactus onto one another.  Some of them look pretty cool.   

That sounds interesting, I may need to hijack someone's FB and take a look. I don't have a FB account, so I couldn't get past the welcome page.

[spaugh]

I avoided facebook until this year just so I could get on that group.  To be honest its not really worth it but occasionally people post something cool.  Mostly its just people asking basic beginner questions and stuff not pertaining to grafting.

[spaugh]

Sellers on etsy have trinket grafted cactus plants for sale like this one.  You can graft pretty much any of these things onto each other.

[pineislander]

For example, maybe crest grafting to sturdy columnar cacti could create a permanent/inexpensive trellis that grew with the vine and never rotted? Or possibly some of the more drought tollerent species can be used as rootstocks in arid locations (such as Stenocerus pruinosus)? We might even find rootstocks that improve fruit size or quality.
What are your thoughts and experiences?

My thoughts are that you have a very good idea for the dragonfruit grower! Can you please upload some pictures of the Apple cactus with dragonfruit grafted on top?

[Galatians522]

Sellers on etsy have trinket grafted cactus plants for sale like this one.  You can graft pretty much any of these things onto each other.

Thanks for the pic Brad. This is exactly what I am talking about. If things this different can be grafted onto dragonfruit (just check out the suculent section at Home Depot the next time you are there), it should work the other way as well. Some people say that there is no point in it because Dragonfruit is already one of the fastest growing cacti, but I believe that there are other reasons for grafting. For example, nematodes are harmful to dragon fruit in some locations. Surely there is a cactus somewhere that is resistant to nematodes?

[Galatians522]

For example, maybe crest grafting to sturdy columnar cacti could create a permanent/inexpensive trellis that grew with the vine and never rotted? Or possibly some of the more drought tollerent species can be used as rootstocks in arid locations (such as Stenocerus pruinosus)? We might even find rootstocks that improve fruit size or quality.
What are your thoughts and experiences?

My thoughts are that you have a very good idea for the dragonfruit grower! Can you please upload some pictures of the Apple cactus with dragonfruit grafted on top?

It is a stub about 3" tall, so it is not very impressive. I just wated to see if they were compatible. I want to graft one at about 6' after removing all the areoles so that it has no thorns and can only grow through the grafted crest. I'll see if I can upload a picture or two. Just don't expect too much, yet!

[Galatians522]

Dragonfruit on Peruvian Apple Cactus. The "step" is where the dragonfruit starts. It has turned entirely woody, but the apple cactus below is still green (except where I carved the ribs away to remove the thorns).

[Galatians522]

A higher graft on an unidentified cactus. I leaned it against this tree to heal after grafting and it rooted in place.

[Galatians522]

I would have played around with this a lot more, but most of my plantable yard is flooded for part of the year which makes growing cactus difficult.