Is Dragon Fruit a Cactus or a Tree?

Dragon Fruit is  a tropical climbing vine and a member of the Cactus family, but not your typical cactus. I love this unique  characteristic of this plant. Isn't it ironic? It defies our general definition of what a cactus is. 

Most of the cacti we know could survive the scorching heat of the sun, but not this one. It will turn yellowish and that's not happy. Fact: A cactus in the desert could handle the hot and dry environments. No questions about that! Please note that it is a fact that dragon fruit is a cactus but it's not the like that grows in the desert. So, I beg you not to treat dragon fruit the same way.

Royal Red flower (Hylocereus polyrhizus)

According to my mentor dragon fruit originally grows in a tropical rainforests. Though it's a cactus dragon fruit loves moist soil. "Moist" but not wet and soggy soil.  This best describes the habitat in the tropical rain forest. It may grew on a sandy dry soil but it will grow sad and petite like a woman on a no carb diet for a year. That's boring! Never expect for a flower bud coz it's not gonna happen. If it will, call it a donation. I'm a firm believer that happy plants gives you generous and abundant harvests.

Royal Red flower the after before the night it bloomed. 

At Maryland Dragonfruit Gardens we make it a point that we make our plants happy by giving them enough moisture. We only have 300 plants for now and we water them manually. Yeah, that's E for effort! And we will continue doing this up until the farm is able to raise funds for its own water system. Not a day will pass without watering them specially on sunny hot days. 

Mexican White (Hylocereus undantus) five inches flower bud

On the other hand leaving them without water for a day or even weeks provides stress for matured vines. 

Starving them with water will help initiate natural buds. Never do this with your new cuttings during rooting stage, since they have super sensitive baby roots. I find it very effective. Why? In the past two amazing weeks of June 2017 Maryland is experiencing flower gazing almost every night. It's amazing how exciting it is to wait for sunset every day. I can't wait for the evening.

Royal Red flower opening the morning after it bloomed.

So here's my cube sliced juicy Royal Red dragon fruit. I brought this for my lunch today. Dragon fruit provides you juicy and sweet fruit for keeping their soil moist daily. Every effort pays off!