Dragon Fruit, The Cactus That Rebels.
As we have a tough climate to grow in I'm always on the look out for edible plants that can survive droughts and extreme temperatures. So I was delighted,one day, to find a dragon fruit cactus for sale. I immediately planted it right at the bottom of our front garden, the most inhospitable place we have! It gets the full blazing sun and water runs straight off the ground into the road.
Sadly, this poor little cactus did nothing. The roots were shallow and it kept falling over, so I put a stake in and tied it to that. There was no growth from it, but I thought maybe it just needed to get itself established. Then it started to look yellowed, like a plant that's low on nutrients. Finally I decided I needed to do a bit of research.
It seems that the dragonfruit is not your usual cactus. Instead of being from the desert it comes from forested areas in South America where it climbs the trees around it. It needs moisture and good soil to be at its best. Mortified, I quickly moved it to the back and planted it under the decorative grapevine, tying it against the veranda strut for support. By this time we were coming into winter so although it didn't die it also didn't seem to show any signs of recovery.
The dragon fruit after its relocation last year.
Spring came and the vine’s leaves stated to hide it, so I didn't think to check on it for a while. When I did I was delighted to see it had put out some new growth. Then on closer inspection I saw that it had also put out tendrils which were now holding it onto the post. This was completely unexpected as my research hadn't come across any mention of this and people growing it usually tie it up to support it. Give it its natural setting, though, and it seems it looks after itself.
I don't particularly add fertiliser to the area it's now planted in, but it gathers a lot of leaf litter from the vine and is fairly well shaded by that same vine in summer, which helps to keep the soil damp and nutrient rich.
Another discovery I made is that it won't flower and fruit until it's reached the point where it's run out of support and starts to droop back down. So we’ll see if we get any production next year. This year, I'm just glad to see it growing.
Dragonfruit grows according to its own whims. We have several in different locations in different conditions. The one thats doing best is a cutting that was stuck in a pot because we had nowhere to put it. Its in almost full sun and a shallow wall pot. Its put on over a foot this summer.
This one's reaching new heights!
I love a good plant win! That sounds like an eccellent plant to have...and praise Jesus you were able to research it, I would've planted it in that rough soil as well!
I'm glad I'm not the only one! Lol!
As far as I know this is the only sort of cactus like it.
Thank you for this post. I have heard of this plants, but have never seen one. I need to do a little research when I get time.
It's certainly an interesting plant. What sort of climate do you live in?
zone 8B - Southeast of Atlanta, GA
So great that you saved the plant! It looks really healthy and the fact that it's putting tendrils out must mean it's there to stay. Dragon fruit is rare around here and I'm interested in seeing the outcome.
After my panic that it was going to die I have since found out that it is fairly tough, but I'd probably have killed it eventually! Even aloe Vera has died in my front garden!!
pictures of your garden cheer me up immensely! I am so envious of all the cool things you can grow. The mere idea of growing dragon fruit is sooo cool!
It's an adventure in learning to grow and eat new plants, because a lot of what I'm used to doesn't grow so well here.
I've really moved up in the world when it comes to growing food. I used to grow in zone 0 ... and now I'm in zone 4 and it's practically "tropical to me (lol). I know every climate has its own unique challenges. It's so fascinating to see different gardens in various climates even if the knowledge can't help me directly!
I don't really know how the zone numbers work, because we just call it cool, temperature, tropical or something in between here! I've always been a bit envious of those who can grow tropical plants though.
zone 4 would be " quite cool" and 0 would be "hell hath frozen over". (lol)
Lol! Okay, so the higher the number, the warmer it is.
Nice save! I hope it is happy enough in its new home to produce some fruit in the future.
Fingers crossed! 🤞
What an ongoing journey gardening is. Despite accumulating knowledge there always seems to be room for research and experimentation. Good luck to you and the cactus!
Isn't it just! Wherever you are growing is always so different too, so new things to be learnt.
It's fun to always be learning!
My uncle has one growing in his yard. It just stands there by itself, perhaps it previously climbed a tree and consumed it? I've never acrtually thought about it as it was just there when he got the house and I don't know who was living there before XD (well I probably did as I know everyone from home by sight but not necessarily where they live).
How peculiar! Are you sure there's no post hidden inside it? Or maybe that's been digested too! Lol!
Lovely. That will look great once it gets really growing.
Can't wait to see it in flower eventually, the cacti have the most magnificent flowers!
In that case, I can't wait either!
I have in my house, my mom so like to planting it