Do dragon fruit flower at the same time?

[Cfox248]

Hi!

So, a few years ago I bought a handful of Dragon Fruit cuttings on eBay. Purple Haze, Condor, and Physical Graffiti, as well as a mystery white flesh unnamed variety. I didn't realize that not all DF are self fertile, and I see that Purple Haze and Physical Graffiti are not. I planted them all in the same pot, and they're growing up and starting to hang.

Will these two varieties flower at the same time for cross pollination? Or should I pull them out of the pot and start over? I'd hate to have to, I live in Minnesota and have a very short outdoor growing season (and they're just taking off this year!) But if I have to I will, because space is limited and I don't want to be growing ones that will not set fruit semi-easily.

[John B]

Nope, they will not. Your best bet would be that Condor blooms first and you can save the pollen. Although, you may want to try hand pollinating with their own pollen. If you bought off of Ebay, you may not actually have the true cultivars and they could be self-fertile.

[Cfox248]

Ah, dang it. Thanks so much for the reply.

Can I ask how long I can save the pollen? Condor is the one growing the best - it's the one hanging over the trellis. I'd be happy to save the pollen for when the others fruit but worried if it has a 'shelf life' so to speak. I'll probably pull a few of the cuttings and replace with self fertile varieties just so I have more of those anyways.

I do trust that the varieties I got are accurate, but you're right - maybe I should try it and see anyways!

[Cfox248]

I'm also open to suggestion for a good self fertile purple or red and a white flesh fruit that are good, and reputable sources to buy cuttings that I would be guaranteed to get the kind I ordered! I see a few online retailers exist (SpicyExotics, etc) but I'm not sure of their reputation.

[John B]

Some people claim you can store them for months if stored correctly. I can't confirm that, but maybe others will chime in. Longest I have saved it and successfully used it was a week (never had a need for longer time). I save them in a small air-tight mason jar with the little silica gel packets you get in some packages. Then I place that in a dark bag in the fridge.

Get a Thompson S-8. The Nickerson's renamed it "Sugar Dragon". I have plenty of of them growing so PM me if you want to trade for something else.

Couple more things, there is a dragon fruit thread you can ask your questions in. Also, I would separate those varieties if you have room, or start to take cuttings for separation.

[Cfox248]

John, I'll shoot you a PM!

[mattyboydesigns]

I collect the pollen in a bowl and let it air dry on the counter for about 12-24 hours. Then the pollen goes into a glass jar and placed into a freezer ziplock with desiccant packs and put into the back of the freezer. When you are ready to pollinate pull the jar out get a paint brush and have some fun. Close the jar and put it back in the freezer as soon as you're done. I've successfully kept pollen good for a year with it still being viable. I have some that's 2 years at the momment that I'm testing out.

[svennagel97]

Check out Richard of Grafting Dragonfruit. He has a YouTube channel where he describes how to store pollen in the freezer for later use. I didn't try it out myself since my dragonfruits started forming flower buds just this year, but for him it works out pretty well.
Regards, Sven

[RobPatterson]

If you have any other questions, there is a larger dragon fruit thread on this site thats currently back in discussion (after the winter break).

[pineislander]

I have the same problem with a variety which needed a pollinator. Even with planting the pollinator on the exact same post as the other variety they don't synchronize in flowering. I am down to shifting over to yellow DF to solve the problem.

[vall]

I have also successfully used last year's pollen. Air dry in a coffee filter and store in the freezer like matty suggested.

[K-Rimes]

I collect pollen and store it in the fridge without any of the drying that others mention here. Works just fine for about 2 weeks. Some cultivars are much better as pollinators, s8 seems to be basically the one for me. 100% fruit sets.

Also having really good luck pinching the stigma after putting pollen in it.