Go Back

How to Grow Dragon Fruit

Learn how to grow dragon fruit in your garden! Expert advice on how to plant dragon fruit from seed and grow them in pots or directly in the ground.
Course: Tropical Fruits
Cuisine: Dragon Fruit
Keyword: dragon fruit, how to grow, tropical fruits

Instructions

  • Purchase a dragon fruit and cut it in half. Scoop out the black seeds and wash them off.
  • Place the seeds on a moist paper towel and leave them overnight to dry.
  • Fill a small germination tray or a small pot with well draining soil. You can also make your own dragon fruit soil by mixing one part peat with one part perlite. Alternatively, you can also use cactus soil.
  • Sprinkle the seeds onto the surface of the soil and cover with a thin layer of the growing medium, barely covering the seeds.
  • Moisten the soil with a spray bottle and cover with plastic wrap to keep moisture.
  • The seed should germinate within 15-30 days. During this time, keep the soil moist.
  • After they’ve germinated, remove the plastic wrap, and transplant to a bigger pot.

Notes

LOCATION:
Because dragon fruit is part of the cactus plants family, it will love heat and full sun. Choose a spot that’s as dry and as sunny as can be. In hot climates, such as tropical or subtropical climates, place your dragon fruit plant in a semi-shaded area.
SUPPORT:
Because it’s a climbing cactus, it will need lots of support such as a fence, trellis, or climbing pole.
SOIL:
Choose well draining soil that is sandy and loamy. You can also make your own soil by mixing in half perlite and half peat, or just add a little bit of sand into your potting soil. The good news is that dragon fruit is very tolerant of poor soil, and even cactus oil will work well.
WATER:
Water your dragon fruit as you would a cactus or succulent. This means moderate watering – it’s always best to give your dragon fruit less water than more water. Learn more about watering succulents.
TEMPERATURE:
If possible, try not to expose your dragon fruit plant to temperatures below 32F (0C), or temperatures above 100F (38C) – both of these extremes can be fatal to your plant.
Dragon fruit is a climbing cactus and will need support to climb. Therefore, it order to grow dragon fruit, you’ll need to plant it near a fence, build a trellis, or a climbing pole. In either case, it’s extremely important for your dragon fruit plant to be able to support itself.
Because it’s a sub tropical plant, dragon fruit loves warm weather and partial sun. If you live in a colder climate, you can still grow dragon fruit, but make sure you do so in pots, and never put it outside, especially if below 28F.
The flowers of the dragon fruit are some of the most unique and strange looking flowers in the world, not to mention some of the biggest! They can reach a diameter of up to 25cm and are about 30cm in length. The flowers themselves only open up for one night and give off a beautiful exotic and fruity scent.