Edgar Valdivia, a member of the California Rare Fruit Grower organization, made this variety by crossing Asunta 3 with Condor. The flower is pink and can’t reproduce on its own. It needs to cross-pollinate, and the flowers might need to be opened by hand. The fruit is bigger than Asunta 3 and usually weighs between 1 and 2 pounds.
Description
Hylocereus stenopterus and Hylocereus guatemalensis are the parents of the Asunta 4 Dragon Fruit. This type of plant also has a gene for the species undatus. Asunta 4 is the fourth copy in the series of Asunta. Asunta 4 is made up of two different kinds of plants: Asunta 3 and Condor. The result is a fruit that is much bigger and has less flavor than either of its parents.
Origin: | California |
Peel color: | Peach and its fins are lime green |
Flesh color: | Magenta |
Brix: | ~16-18 |
Pollination: | Self-Sterile |
Growth rate: | 4 out of 5 |
Fruit production: | 4 out of 5 |
Flavor: | 4 out of 5 |
Commercial planting: | 4 out of 5 |
Asunta 4 grows the same way as H. guatemalensis, but it is two to three times bigger. Asunta 4 grows very quickly, just like H. guatemalensis. The plant part is a heart-shaped rib with three sides and tiny spins. It is bright green. The flesh is sweet with a sour end and tastes like a mix of cherry and berry. Brix was between 16 and 18.
Fruits weigh between one to two pounds. The mature skin is peach, the fins are lemon-lime green, and the flesh is pink to purple. The flower is about the size of a fist, and its inner petals are purple. The edges of the petals are light pink, and the tips are white. The flower bud is just as beautiful as the flower itself.
In Louisiana, the flower blooms at night and closes in the morning. Compared to other types of Hylocereus, this one blooms a lot earlier. This flower may sometimes need to be opened by hand because it sticks together and stays in the last stage of a flower bud. When the flower opens, the stigma sticks out a few inches from the anther.
During bloom, we’ve also noticed that the stigma bunches up, which is another unique thing about the flower. Asunta 4 is sterile, which makes sense because all of her other clones were also sterile.
Conclusion
Color of flesh: purple, Brix average: 16-18%. Taste: Very sweet, with a tart aftertaste. It tastes like a mix of watermelon and pineapple. Weight: 397 grams Days until harvest: 45-50 days Self-Sterile: needs to be cross-pollinated with any other kind.