How to grow Dragon fruit

Selenicereus undatus · pitaya, pitahaya, red pitaya

Dragon fruit (Selenicereus undatus) — dragon fruit is a climbing cactus from Mexico and Central America with three-angled stems up to about 7 m long, huge fragrant white flowers that open for a single night, and sweet scaly fruit. It is killed by frost, so outside frost-free regions it is grown in a large pot indoors or in a heated greenhouse; plants often start fruiting 1–3 years after planting.

Checked against sources: October 3, 2026

Quick facts

Type	Fruit tree
Family	Cactaceae
Light	Full sun
Soil pH	5.3–6.7
Frost	does not tolerate frost
First harvest after planting	about 2 years
Where it grows	Greenhouse, Open ground, At home

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Harvest from August to October (northern hemisphere).

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

Greenhouse

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	18…28 °C	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	18…28 °C	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Fruiting	every 7 days	18…28 °C	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Harvest	every 7 days	18…28 °C	—
Winter rest	every 21 days	15…28 °C	—

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Fruiting	every 7 days	—	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Harvest	every 7 days	—	—
Winter rest	every 21 days	—	—

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	18…28 °C	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	18…28 °C	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage
Fruiting	every 7 days	18…28 °C	balanced (NPK), at the start of the stage; balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Harvest	every 7 days	18…28 °C	—
Winter rest	every 21 days	15…28 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Give it the sunniest spot you have, at least 6 hours of direct sun; indoors a bright window works, but too much strong sun can scorch the stems.

Soil

Use a free-draining cactus mix or loam in a pot with drainage holes; it prefers slightly acidic soil, pH 5.3–6.7.

Care

The stems climb with aerial roots, so tie them to a sturdy post or trellis. Water when the mix is almost completely dry, more often in spring and summer until flowering ends; in winter keep it just moist but never bone-dry. Feed a half-strength liquid fertiliser monthly from spring to late summer and not at all in winter. It grows best at 18–28 °C and must stay above 15 °C in winter. The flowers open at night and last one night; indoors brush pollen onto the stigma with a soft brush the same night, or no fruit will set. Remove only dead or damaged stems, repot every 2–3 years, and wear gloves because the stems are spiny. Watch for mealybugs and scale insects, and avoid waterlogging, which rots stems and roots. Dragon fruit is listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses, and its flowers are edible.

How to tell it is ripe

The skin has turned almost fully red or pink, depending on the variety.
The fruit has reached full size, usually 10–15 cm long.
Count from the night the flower opened; the fruit is ready about 30–35 days later and should not be picked before day 32.
The fruit does not colour up after picking, so leave it on the plant until the skin has fully coloured.
Store picked fruit at about 10 °C, where it keeps for up to two weeks; colder places of around 5–6 °C cause chilling injury, with soft, translucent flesh and a poor taste.

Pests and diseases of Dragon fruit

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.