Dragon fruit experiment ( pitaya )

Earlier this year when I just *needed* something interesting/different to do, I decided to try to get Pitaya seeds from a Red Dragon Fruit to germinate in my cold house. That adventure is talked about here: https://permies.com/t/365724/seeds-warm-permie-ideas

They took a *long* time to germinate, and an equally long time to put out their first true "leaves" (not sure you call them that in cacti?).

I also found that while some were slow, some were glacially slow. I abandoned some when space became a premium.

In the meantime, my research told me that the Red Dragon Fruit quench your thirst well, but they're on the boring side, and that Yellow Dragon Fruit taste better. My Daughter-in-law bought me a yellow one to try. It's seeds are larger, but were equally slow to germinate and I ran out of time as the gardening season picked up and the outdoor weather improved. As often occurs when I give up on something, it surprises me.

Again, if my research is accurate, the Red ones are tougher plants and since I may need more cold tolerance, having it as root stock would be good. However, at least one Y--tuber is grafting other varieties onto the red ones. I didn't pay that enough attention at the time, but after I gave up hope, I left the dirt on the window ledge and as of this morning I have 3 Yellow babies, one of which is looking quite happy.



So the bottom left baby is a Yellow. The other 6 are all Reds. The seeds were all planted at once, and the tiny specks of green have looked like tiny specks of green for at least 2 months. If they were in the way, they'd likely be gone, but this *is* an experiment, and having some idea how these things grow indoor could be useful information.

The other two Yellow babies aren't in the picture. I suspect one is going to be "slow developing" but the second just germinated, so it's too soon to tell.

The adventure will continue...  If they all start growing, I'm betting I will be able to find homes as I won't be able to keep them all!

PS - I see advantages to having both varieties. I, and people I know, don't tolerate a lot of sugar, so I have to limit my fruit intake. However, fruit is a useful source of calories. I haven't figured out yet for sure if the Yellow version just has more sugar, or if it actually has more flavor as well, so that will be part of the experiment also.

I planted some a few years ago.

Joseph Lofthouse wrote:I planted some a few years ago.

Any idea how long before they might flower?

I grow them neglected in my bedroom. They might never flower for me.

they are very pretty plants, I think. here in 9b they are grown on top of sunny walls or wherever they can catch extra heat/sunlight and will fruit every so often, but not as much as in zones 10+.
they have become a new fun export crop for farmers looking for alternatives, but with the tariffs this year we actually had a lot of local pitayas in the markets and got to eat way more than usual. I frankly don't see much difference in the taste (we can get yellow, red with white flesh, and red with red flesh, they're all pretty bland in my spoiled fruit-snob opinion), they're more of a novelty and a vitamin C source. But the flowers are absolutely gorgeous.  
I understand that if they're grown from cuttings it takes a year or so to fruit, and way more (5 years? more?) from seeds. People who are switching from some other fruit in my area plan on 2-3 years til full production (large plants) from cuttings.

As a house plant in my zone, it is quite possible they will never bloom. However, if I ever get a greenhouse they can live in for the summer, the odds will increase.

There are two very different kinds of yellow, yellow on the outside, but exactly like the commercial dragonfruit that's yellow on the outside and white on the inside, and then there's the smaller more torpedo shaped yellow on the outside yellow on the inside with bigger seeds- that on is the best sweet but so much more flavorful!

I did dragonfruit and got great results, I took a thin sliced and put it on a full pot of moist soil, then added a layer just think enough to not see the fruit, probably a quarter inch, waterd it, and fixed any holes, and so many of them came up, but it still might only have been 30%
Anyway I find it very easy to grow and they're pretty tolerant of not being watered, but they like the moisture.