Dragon Fruit thread.

[wayne23]

Currently have Haileys Comet, White Vietnamese, 3 Diferent type of Yellow Dragon fruit, Kathie Van Arum, waiting to order Frankies Red and maybe Asunta

FYI Epicacti Nursery posted on Facebook;

"New Dragon Fruit varieties available in Spring April/ May and to be added to Mattslandscape.com catalog or can be ordered thru or picked up at walk in nursery Epicacti.com in spring 2018."

1) Tricia 
2) Paisley 
3) Edgar   
4) Townsend Pink
5) Asunta #2
6) Asunta #3
7) AX
David Bowie -previously out of stock but been duplicating so should have plenty next year spring 2018
9) Armando 
10) El Grullo -previously out of stock but been duplicating so should have plenty next year spring 2018
11) Houghton   
12) Lisa  -previously out of stock but been duplicating so should have plenty next year spring 2018
13) Hawaiian Gold   

***Even More varieties to be introduced mid summer 2018***

Richard or anyone,
do you have any infor on these varieties?  color, taste, texture, size of fruit?  thanks

Paisley
Townsend Pink
AX
Hawaiian Gold

[FamilyJ]

i am wanting to get 1+5+6 from that list. and waiting jun/july for the other new varieties

[ricshaw]

Richard or anyone,
do you have any infor on these varieties?  color, taste, texture, size of fruit?  thanks

Paisley
Townsend Pink
AX
Hawaiian Gold

Wayne,  There are so many varieties and such an overlap with some... I have a problem keeping track of the newer ones I have experienced.

Paisley and Ax I have. I do not remember tasting Paisley. Edgar gave me a cutting so I am growing it.
Tasted Ax, it is good. I am growing it as part of my Asunta DF purple flower collection.

[SandyL]

Currently have Haileys Comet, White Vietnamese, 3 Diferent type of Yellow Dragon fruit, Kathie Van Arum, waiting to order Frankies Red and maybe Asunta

When you say 3 different types or yellow dragon fruit, do you mean ...
One type from Ecuador like the giant yellow
One from Colombia / Peruvian yellow
And the regular yellow?

Selenicereus Megalanthus Yellow Dragon Fruit Cactus Plant
https://kensnursery.com/product/dragon-fruit-selenicereus-megalanthus-yellow/

Giant Hawaiian Gold Dragon Fruit Cactus Plant
https://kensnursery.com/product/dragon-fruit-giant-yellow-dragon/

   
3452 Hylocereus sp. - Yellow Pitaya, Dragon Fruit
https://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?uid=hylocereus

one XL peru yellow gold he called on ebay

Wow, very interesting. I wonder if the last two have similar taste. Probably not as sweet as the S.M.

[FamilyJ]

Currently have Haileys Comet, White Vietnamese, 3 Diferent type of Yellow Dragon fruit, Kathie Van Arum, waiting to order Frankies Red and maybe Asunta

When you say 3 different types or yellow dragon fruit, do you mean ...
One type from Ecuador like the giant yellow
One from Colombia / Peruvian yellow
And the regular yellow?

Selenicereus Megalanthus Yellow Dragon Fruit Cactus Plant
https://kensnursery.com/product/dragon-fruit-selenicereus-megalanthus-yellow/

Giant Hawaiian Gold Dragon Fruit Cactus Plant
https://kensnursery.com/product/dragon-fruit-giant-yellow-dragon/

   
3452 Hylocereus sp. - Yellow Pitaya, Dragon Fruit
https://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?uid=hylocereus

one XL peru yellow gold he called on ebay

Wow, very interesting. I wonder if the last two have similar taste. Probably not as sweet as the S.M.

Just got them this year. so heard the yellows take about 2 years before they fruit due to size of 8"-1'. hopefully sooner. The only one to fruit next year will be veit white, and haileys comet. just got startedgrowing DF begining of this year from neighbor cutting and tasting, going off the threads and reviews from everyone

[Rannman]

Most Dragonfruit cuttings will fruit within 2 years with good care. Some won’t but a lot will.
 I find it difficult to trust a site that doesn’t even take the time to put up their own pics of the varieties that they say they grow. Most pics from the top tropical site are from other websites as far as I can see, and you don’t have to look too closely to see that a couple of completely different varieties have identical fruit! The Sweet Red and the American Beauty are identical on the site! American Beauty looks nothing like this! I would assume Sweet Red doesn’t either.
If you want good cuttings that will give the fruit that they are supposed to give, only buy from reputable sellers. Matt’s Landscape is brilliant.

[FamilyJ]

Most Dragonfruit cuttings will fruit within 2 years with good care. Some won’t but a lot will.
 I find it difficult to trust a site that doesn’t even take the time to put up their own pics of the varieties that they say they grow. Most pics from the top tropical site are from other websites as far as I can see, and you don’t have to look too closely to see that a couple of completely different varieties have identical fruit! The Sweet Red and the American Beauty are identical on the site! American Beauty looks nothing like this! I would assume Sweet Red doesn’t either.
If you want good cuttings that will give the fruit that they are supposed to give, only buy from reputable sellers. Matt’s Landscape is brilliant.

Thanks. Did recently find Matt's landscape. Just the top tropical is local to me. Now since learning about Matt's landscape
 The ones I like he said would be available for purchase about April or may 2018. Plus top tropical lost about 90% of whole inventory from hurricane irma.

[vitiga]

I would like to buy new dragon fruit varieties cuttings from Mattslandscape.com, but it looks like they don't ship outside US. I tried to email them but did not get any reply so far. It's a shame as cuttings are easy to ship worldwide. Anyway, if someone from Mattslandscape read my message, please do not hesitate to contact me, thanks in advance. email address : lejardinauxmillefruits@gmail.com
p;s : my delivery address is in France.

[FamilyJ]

I would like to buy new dragon fruit varieties cuttings from Mattslandscape.com, but it looks like they don't ship outside US. I tried to email them but did not get any reply so far. It's a shame as cuttings are easy to ship worldwide. Anyway, if someone from Mattslandscape read my message, please do not hesitate to contact me, thanks in advance. email address : lejardinauxmillefruits@gmail.com
p;s : my delivery address is in France.

https://www.facebook.com/matts.landscape
Contact him through his Facebook, that is how i got into contact with him

[ricshaw]

I would like to buy new dragon fruit varieties cuttings from Mattslandscape.com, but it looks like they don't ship outside US. I tried to email them but did not get any reply so far. It's a shame as cuttings are easy to ship worldwide. Anyway, if someone from Mattslandscape read my message, please do not hesitate to contact me, thanks in advance. email address : lejardinauxmillefruits@gmail.com
p;s : my delivery address is in France.

There may be some issues with ordering from the Mattslandscape web site. 

Use the Mattslandscape web site for reference and order from Matt's Facebook page or from Epicacti Nursery the walk-in nursery location for the Mattslandscape.com web site.
http://www.epicacti.com

And yes, they have shipped cuttings outside the US.

[FruitAddict]

Hi guys
So, there was this program in South Africa on TV about a Dragon fruit farmer.  According to him, you have to take a cutting and let it lay to dry for two weeks before planting, otherwise the soil will pull the moisture out of the cutting.  If you do that - according to him - the cutting will fruit within 6 to 9 months.  What do you think about it?  Friends of mine are asking questions and I don't know what to answer them.

[marklee]

The quickest way I’ve found to root cuttings is take a fresh cutting and dip in rooting hormone, then place in shade for a week or two to let it callous over. Then plant 4 inches deep in we’ll draining mediums, then tie a stake to the cutting, after that I place a clear plastic bag over it and place in warm shade or greenhouse. They root real quick that way.

[FruitAddict]

The quickest way I’ve found to root cuttings is take a fresh cutting and dip in rooting hormone, then place in shade for a week or two to let it callous over. Then plant 4 inches deep in we’ll draining mediums, then tie a stake to the cutting, after that I place a clear plastic bag over it and place in warm shade or greenhouse. They root real quick that way.

How long will it take to fruit if you prepare and plant a cutting that way?

[pineislander]

The quickest way I’ve found to root cuttings is take a fresh cutting and dip in rooting hormone, then place in shade for a week or two to let it callous over. Then plant 4 inches deep in we’ll draining mediums, then tie a stake to the cutting, after that I place a clear plastic bag over it and place in warm shade or greenhouse. They root real quick that way.

I had 100% success establishing 40 plants directly in the soil. I did not cut the branches into sections as some do. I made my cuttings cut at the natural growing 'breaks' between sections which are woody rather than fleshy. Still, I did leave them for weeks to harden and some began to root into air. These I planted directly out into the field into amended soil. One month after planting I sprayed with fish emulsion. Two weeks later they began sprouting and I thinned those to one leader only. They are beginning to climb the poles.

So, in a good climate it is possible to plant directly in soil. Many of the successful commercial growers in Thailand, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador can be seen in videos planting the way I did. Hopefully I am emulating their success.

[Johnny Eat Fruit]

I tried growing David Bowie Dragon-fruit at my location in Orange County and had very poor results. Low vigor and scant growth after two growing seasons . Perhaps others will have better luck then I. Removed the Bowie and replaced with Sugar Dragon "8S" which has taken off with strong growth. What a difference.

Johnny

[spaugh]

The quickest way I’ve found to root cuttings is take a fresh cutting and dip in rooting hormone, then place in shade for a week or two to let it callous over. Then plant 4 inches deep in we’ll draining mediums, then tie a stake to the cutting, after that I place a clear plastic bag over it and place in warm shade or greenhouse. They root real quick that way.

I had 100% success establishing 40 plants directly in the soil. I did not cut the branches into sections as some do. I made my cuttings cut at the natural growing 'breaks' between sections which are woody rather than fleshy. Still, I did leave them for weeks to harden and some began to root into air. These I planted directly out into the field into amended soil. One month after planting I sprayed with fish emulsion. Two weeks later they began sprouting and I thinned those to one leader only. They are beginning to climb the poles.

So, in a good climate it is possible to plant directly in soil. Many of the successful commercial growers in Thailand, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador can be seen in videos planting the way I did. Hopefully I am emulating their success.

I have done at least that many also into dry potting soil.  Some were straight from the plant and into dry soil.  Leave the potting soil for a few weeks dry then lightly water and leave to dry out again.  Had every plant take without any rooting hormones.  Some of the cuttings had dried for a few days before planting but never for weeks.  Although it is very dry here so they probably callous faster than most places.

[marklee]

The quickest way I’ve found to root cuttings is take a fresh cutting and dip in rooting hormone, then place in shade for a week or two to let it callous over. Then plant 4 inches deep in we’ll draining mediums, then tie a stake to the cutting, after that I place a clear plastic bag over it and place in warm shade or greenhouse. They root real quick that way.

I had 100% success establishing 40 plants directly in the soil. I did not cut the branches into sections as some do. I made my cuttings cut at the natural growing 'breaks' between sections which are woody rather than fleshy. Still, I did leave them for weeks to harden and some began to root into air. These I planted directly out into the field into amended soil. One month after planting I sprayed with fish emulsion. Two weeks later they began sprouting and I thinned those to one leader only. They are beginning to climb the poles.

So, in a good climate it is possible to plant directly in soil. Many of the successful commercial growers in Thailand, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador can be seen in videos planting the way I did. Hopefully I am emulating their success.

Being in a dry climate in San Diego, I use the plastic bag to increase the humidity since these plants come from real humid areas. Staking it keeps the roots from being disturbed while rooting. If you have a large, thick cutting you can get fruit in 2 years after it has rooted.

[pineislander]

Interesting set of videos showing DF production methods in Taiwan.

https://www.youtube.com/user/agriculturatw/search?query=Pitahaya

[SandyL]

Edgar just posted a video on his YouTube channel where he tries the yellow dragon that’s being imported into California. Near the end of the video he explains that you can grow the plant in Cali but the fruit won’t be big compared to the ones being grown in their natural climate like Peru, Columbia and Ecuador. He stated that it’s because it blooms in nov and dec and that when the fruit starts to form it’s too
cold here in Cali. That’s one reason why the fruit doesn’t get large.

[FamilyJ]

Edgar just posted a video on his YouTube channel where he tries the yellow dragon that’s being imported into California. Near the end of the video he explains that you can grow the plant in Cali but the fruit won’t be big compared to the ones being grown in their natural climate like Peru, Columbia and Ecuador. He stated that it’s because it blooms in nov and dec and that when the fruit starts to form it’s too
cold here in Cali. That’s one reason why the fruit doesn’t get large.

got a link to that?

[SandyL]

Correction, I just looked at the date , he posted it on nov 21 of this year

Here’s the link to the video



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wPiwQfK5cz0

[SandyL]

I’ve planted some Peruvian giant yellow seeds I acquired from a guy on Facebook and it’s already sprouting.
I wonder will the size of this fruit be small like Edgar states or will it at least be a decent size since it’s supposedly the “Peruvian Giant yellow” I guess only time will tell.

[SandyL]

Oh, here’s the pic

[pineislander]

Correction, I just looked at the date , he posted it on nov 21 of this year
Here’s the link to the video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wPiwQfK5cz0

Wow, seven months from flowering to ripe fruit!

[SandyL]

Correction, I just looked at the date , he posted it on nov 21 of this year
Here’s the link to the video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wPiwQfK5cz0

Wow, seven months from flowering to ripe fruit!

Yup. Compared to red skinned dragon fruit. That’s why it’s so expensive at the markets