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Florida Gardening

Dragon Fruit Varieties. Suggestions, please?

6 years ago

I have been watching YT videos on how to grow, and there are so many varieties that people are recommending on YT. Obviously, we want the best tasting, sweeter variety to begin with. We have a palm tree we will use as a trellis. One guy said that the "Desert King" variety is best, but I wouldn't know where to get one of those. Any other suggestions? Something we can pick up, locally, or order online, that will grow well in S. Florida, in direct sunlight? Thank you!

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Comments (2)

dangermouse01 (coastal central FL 9B)
6 years ago
I have growing in my yard, Dark Star, Halley's Comet, Physical
Graffiti, American Beauty, Vietnamese Jaina (white), yellow, Condor,
Cebra, Mega Red, and a couple of unknown white ones.

Favorites are Dark Star, American Beauty, Halley's Comet, Cebra and
some of the unknown whites. Cebra is a dark red flesh, one of the
darkest. The juice would make a good natural food coloring (if you eat
more than half a Cebra fruit, your pee will have a pink tint till it
gets flushed thru your system).

White ones are pretty bland, but I prefer the whites dehydrated (makes them sweeter).

Most would suggest to get two different types in case one needs cross
pollination (whites are good to use for cross pollinating).

A friend of mine who has a 1 acre Dragon Fruit farm in Merritt Island
grows Vietnamese Jaina, Natural Mystic and Vietnamese Red. All those
are supposed to be self pollinating, but when they are flowering she is
out there in the middle of the night helping them out.

I help out mine when they are flowering also.

There are a couple of good variety viewers with info, mattslandscape and PIN have one on their websites for starts.

A 99 page Dragon Fruit thread can be found on the tropical fruit forum.

Easy to grow from cuttings if you know somebody who has the type you
want. I would avoid EBAY, to many stories of people thinking they bought
a certain type, only to find out a few years later when it fruits that
it is just a white type.

Good luck.
S.C. 10B thanked dangermouse01 (coastal central FL 9B)
S.C. 10B
Original Author
6 years ago
I have two types coming, this week. I've decided to go with putting them in pots, up high, to allow them to grow cascading over the edge of the pot, and hang. I saw this method on a YT video, by "Self Sufficient Me". It looks great! But, I want to know if we can put all five cuttings in the same large pot? Or do they grow separately, in different pots? We are getting 3 Vietnemese Jaina cuttings, and two of a red fleshed variety.... not sure what type, yet. A guy at the farmer's market is bringing the cuttings for me this weekend. Is it wise to even put a couple of them in the same pot....different varieties together? Separate? Thank you!
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