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Tropical Fruits

Dragon Fruit Pollination

highergroundgardens89

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I am curious about the different pollination requirements between self-fertile pitaya and self-sterile pitayas. Any clarification is appreciated.

Self-fertile pitaya - I have heard that while a single self-fertile pitaya can pollinate itself without a secondary pitaya plant, it is still required that at least two flowers bloom at the same time (on the single self-fertile pitaya) and have pollination occur between the two flowers. Is this true? Aka, a single self fertile pitaya flower can not pollinate itself? (Thus hand pollination is still probably necessary for those without night pollinators)

Self-sterile pitaya - For this two pitaya plants are necessary. Do the pitayas have to be of different varieties? Do the two plants have to be from two different parent plants (if grown from cuttings)?
Thank you for the clarification!

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Comments (4)

azbolt
8 years ago
For self fertile varieties, one flower can pollinate itself, a second flower on the same plant is not necessary. For NON self fertile varieties, a second plant/variety is needed. A clone or a cutting of the same plant will not be a viable pollinator. A second variety used to pollinate a self fertile variety will increase the size of the fruit.
Francesco Delvillani
8 years ago
The female and Male parts of a same flower are ready at the same time....so one flower is enough !! But the cultivars must be self-fertile !!
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BahamaDan Zone 12b Subtropics
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Are they any indications as to which ones will be self fertile and which will not? E.g. red fleshed ones tend to be self fertile while white fleshed ones tend not to be.
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