Dragon fruit cacti (pitaya) surviving outside!!!

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doncasterpalmguy123

Dragon fruit cacti (pitaya) surviving outside!!!

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

Hello all. I have been growing a massive dragon fruit cactus for the last two years now. However this year it just got absolutely massive. It got so big that it snapped under its own weight in two different places. These two cuttings then rooted and i was stuck with three massive spiky cacti. A smaller one then collapsed and i ended up with four.
I then made a big decision that i really couldn't be bothered overwintering this massive pot and plants in my bedroom again. So i discarded the three big ones outside and kept the fourth smaller cutting in a small pot indoors. I kind of hoped the ones outside would die. Much to my disbelief they have not. They have been out since september and have injured frosts, loads of rain and wind. I can't believe they are still with us in december, i thought they was only hardy to about 2C. They've proved me wrong on that already.

So has anyone got a real idea of how hardy they are? I suppose i'll keep them if they survive. After all it did take a lot of effort importing the then tiny plant (in 2011) in my suitcase from florida.

I started the process thinking, give it another two years an i can just have the one smaller dragon fruit and i should have the facilities to cope with it when it grows. :lol:
Steph
Posts: 993
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:25 pm
Location: East London, bordering Essex.

Re: Dragon fruit cacti (pitaya) surviving outside!!!

Post by Steph »

Me again...

I have had them growing for years in baskets in the conservatory, had the plants before I knew what a dragon fruit was.
Had fruits start to form but never let them mature, may let a few go this time as its flowering at the moment.
Never kept them outside as I assumed it to be a no hoper but that's an interesting concept.
ianmck

Re: Dragon fruit cacti (pitaya) surviving outside!!!

Post by ianmck »

Not sure about hardiness temperature wise. I would guess they could survive some low temperature overnight but probably not for an extended period. There are a few different species that are referred to as dragon fruit, so it may depend on that also. I find the biggest problem is water. They suffer really badly from "rust" if it rains for a few days in a row, even in the middle of summer. And I've had similar bad luck when trying them in the greenhouse. They seem to hate humidity. But they do fine on a windowsill when treated like a regular cactus i.e neglected.
call

Re: Dragon fruit cacti (pitaya) surviving outside!!!

Post by call »

very interesting.... from what I've heard from a few different sources that this plant is not actually the tender tropical that it is made out to be. Some time soon I will have to try one outside for myself icon_thumright

ps. I still have lantana surviving outside :D
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Dragon fruit cacti (pitaya) surviving outside!!!

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

It would seem that three of the four parts of the dragon fruit have bit the dust, with the plant with the original root system being the last surviver! :oops:
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