Dragon fruit, also called zamorano, is a sour fruit that grows in the tropics. It is a fruit that has a unique flavor and texture. It is a popular ingredient in many dishes around the world.
About this cactus
Hylocereus polyrhizus, also known as the Zamorano Dragon Fruit Cactus, – The fruits that the Zamorano Dragon Fruit tree makes are maroon with red tips and have maroon flesh that is tasty and sour. This is a great variety with a medium-high yield and self-pollination. It is medium in size and weighs between 0.5 and 1 lb. on average.
This beautiful night-blooming cactus can grow in a wide range of conditions and soils. It makes the most fruit when it is allowed to climb on a burlap-wrapped totem, trellis, or your favorite tree. The huge, round flowers are between 10 and 16 inches in diameter and have a beautiful shape. They usually only last one night. When planted in groups, this trailing Dragon Fruit cactus in full bloom is a sight you’ll never forget.
Dragon Fruit Cactus will keep growing as long as the roots can stick to something like a moist piece of organic matter, a wooden post, or a totem wrapped in burlap. Zamorano grows, flowers, and makes fruit at different rates depending on the type of soil, humidity, sunlight, temperature, and other things. A few stems may be cut off before shipping to reduce water loss and stress from the trip.
| Outdoor | Patio | % sun | Soil type | Pot size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10-11 | Zone 4a-11 | 80-100% | Rich Moist | 2x2x7″ Deep |
Zamorano Dragon fruit vines
They will be between 4 and 10 inches tall. The pitaya plant is a vine-like plant with fleshy stems that grows on the ground. From late spring to early fall, the plant has white flowers that smell nice. Flowers are complicated and only bloom at night.
Makes red fruits that are round. The round fruit has clear scales all over it, and it can grow up to 5 inches long. Inside the thin skin is a big mass of red pulp that tastes sweet and has many small black seeds. The fruit can be eaten by itself, and it can also be used to add flavor to baked goods and drinks.
Zamorano may have up to 4 fruiting cycles per year when it is producing at full capacity. For proper cross-pollination, we suggest using at least three different varieties. Grows quickly. Easy-to-grow. Easy to put in a container.
The fruits that the Zamorano tree makes are maroon with red tips and have maroon flesh that is tasty and sour. Zamorano is a great variety with a mid-high yield and self-pollination. Its flesh is bright red and tastes sweet and mild. This fruit tastes great on its own, in jams, as a garnish, or even in drinks made with its juice.
Pitahaya cactus care
Dragon Fruit Cacti are easy to grow, send out long vines, and produce a lot of fruit with little care. Dragon Fruit Cactus grow well in the garden in a pot or directly in the ground near an arbor or post. They add a tasty touch to any garden or patio outside. In cooler places, a Dragon Fruit Cactus in a pot can be brought inside for the winter.
You don’t have to worry about planting your new Dragon Fruit Cactus as soon as you get it. You can store your new plant for a while by putting it in a bucket and putting it somewhere shady. Just water it when it gets dry. This will give you a lot of time to decide where your new Dragon Fruit Cactus will grow best. This particular Dragon Fruit Cactus is well-rooted, grown, and shipped in a 2″ x 2″ x 7″ tall pot, which lets it grow deeper roots and grow faster.
Size of container
All types of Dragon Fruit Cactus grow well in containers on the patio. Give the plant enough room to grow. Usually, a container with a totem that is 8 to 16 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep will do. Remember that your Dragon Fruit Cactus will grow taller and be healthier if the roots are not too tight. When the roots are too close together, the plant won’t grow as fast. When this happens, it’s time to move the plant to a bigger pot.
Soil
Zamorano pitaya Cactus like organic cactus mix that drains well and is easy to find at a box store near you. Remember to stay away from soils that are wet or muddy.
Dragon Fruit grows best in soils that drain well and in full sun to part shade. The vine will grow from the plant’s root if you keep the plant in full sun and a warm temperature.
Plant the vine in a regular-sized, large pot. Use good potting soil, like a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, sand, and compost.
When choosing a site, it is best to have full sun in the morning and afternoon shade. Rich, sandy soil on top is best, as long as it drains well. Plant spacing needs to be between 6.0 and 7.5.
Plants should be put anywhere between 8 and 12 inches apart. Plants are often grouped around a pole or a structure for climbing.
| Foliage season: | Evergreen |
| Fruit: | red |
| Flower color: | white |
| Plant type: | vine fruit / vegetable |
| Size: | H: 20' W: 5' |
| Zones: | 9a-11 |
| Soil needs: | Average well-drained / rich |
| Pollination: | Partially self-fruitful. Fruit will be larger if planted near another variety |
| Sun exposure: | sun - mostly sun |
| Flower season: | spring / summer / fall |
| Water needs: | even moisture - regular |
Fertilizer
To help your new Zamorano Dragon Fruit Cactus get started, use a slow-release fertilizer three times a year a few inches away from the base. If you don’t feed them, they will grow more slowly. Note: The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers will hurt the plant’s roots and could even kill it. Use a brand you already know and trust.
Grow zone & light
Best outdoors if grown in zone 10-11, find your zone here. This Dragon Fruit Cactus needs to be in the sun 80–100% of the time. Depending on where you live, most plants do best in full sun. At the northern end of their growing zone, Pitahaya cactus should be brought inside or protected during the winter months. The patio is in zone 4b-11, which means that the potted plant will do well in colder areas during the summer, but it must be brought inside before winter.
The Zamorano variety was taken from the agriculture university in Honduras. If you pollinate this variety by hand, the fruit will be bigger, but it will still set fruit on its own.
Water requirements
This cactus needs to be watered often, and the soil shouldn’t be allowed to dry out between waterings. After planting, water well and give new plants a good soak once a week during the summer, unless it rains a lot (more than 1 inch per week).
Most plants can get by with less water once they are established, but most grow best if the soil stays evenly moist. As long as the vines are growing strong, it won’t be hard to get rid of weeds. The best way to water plants is with a drip line. You should water once every two weeks and let the soil dry out in between.
Pests and diseases
Pests and diseases don’t bother plants very much, so it’s best to keep the soil evenly moist with irrigation or drip irrigation.
Before you plants outdoors
At the nursery, this Dragon Fruit Cactus grows under a shade cloth that blocks out 20–40% of the sun. If you put this Dragon Fruit Cactus in a place where there is a lot of light, the leaves may get burned. Before planting, it’s best to let this plant get used to its environment by leaving it outside and moving it slowly into a sunny spot over a week or two. This will keep the plant from getting stressed.
The Zamorano’s Allure
Let me tell you, folks, farming ain’t for the faint of heart. It’s a constant dance with Mother Nature, a gamble on sunshine and rain, a battle against bugs both big and small. But when you finally hold the sweet reward of your labor in your hands, well, that’s a feeling that can’t be beat. And for me, that reward often comes in the form of a spiky red orb – the Zamorano dragon fruit.
Now, I’ve dabbled in my fair share of dragon fruit varieties over the years. There’s the classic white flesh with the hot pink skin, a looker for sure, but the taste can be a bit bland. Then there’s the yellow-fleshed one, a sunshine explosion in your mouth, but a bit finicky to grow. But the Zamorano, that’s a whole different story.
Growing the Zamorano turned out to be a breeze. Unlike some of its prima donna cousins, this one’s a real trooper. It thrives in our hot, humid climate, happily climbing up the sturdy trellises I built for it. The long, green stems snaked their way around the supports, looking for all the world like a verdant dragon itself. And then came the flowers. Oh, the flowers! They were enormous white blooms, each one a fragrant trumpet that opened up at night, bathing the farm in an ethereal glow. It felt like a magical time, like I was witnessing a secret ceremony performed under the cloak of darkness.
A month later, those magical flowers transformed into the spiky red fruits I’d been waiting for. The first time I held one in my hand, it felt heavy for its size, a promise of juicy goodness within. Cracking it open with a satisfying snap revealed the true star of the show – the flesh. It wasn’t just red, it was a deep, luxurious crimson, the kind of color you’d expect to find on a velvet cushion in a king’s castle. Each tiny black seed was nestled amongst the vibrant flesh like a precious jewel.
But the beauty was just the beginning. The first bite was a revelation. The Zamorano’s flesh wasn’t bland or overly sweet; it was a perfect balance between the two, with a hint of floral perfume that lingered on your tongue. It was like a party in your mouth, a juicy explosion of flavor that had me wanting more.
Since then, the Zamorano has become my pride and joy. I use them fresh in salads, where their vibrant color adds a pop against the greens. They make a killer smoothie, the red flesh blending with other fruits to create a vibrant pink concoction that’s both delicious and Instagram-worthy. And let’s not forget the jewel-toned jams and jellies – perfect for spreading on toast or adding a touch of elegance to a cheeseboard.
Now, some folks might look at the Zamorano and think, “Just another dragon fruit.” But for me, it’s more than that. It’s a testament to the power of patience, a reminder that the best things in life often come after a little wait. It’s a burst of color in a sometimes-monochromatic world, a reminder that beauty and flavor can coexist in perfect harmony. And most importantly, it’s a delicious reminder that farming, for all its challenges, can be a truly magical experience. So, the next time you’re at the market and see a spiky red orb staring back at you, give the Zamorano a chance. You might just discover your own dragon fruit love story.
Additional Information
Strawberry pear, dragon fruit, and night blooming cereus are some other names for this plant. Spanish: pitahaya, tuna, nopal, pitajaya.
There are a lot of different kinds of dragon fruit. Plants orogin; Tropical America; southern Mexico, Pacific side of Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador; Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Curacao, Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.
Pitaya are perennial, terrestrial, epiphytic, vine-like cacti that grow quickly. They have green, fleshy, often-branched, triangular stems with three or four or five sides. The flowers are big and bloom at night. Each segment of the stem has three flat, wavy wings (ribs) with corneous edges. Each rib may have one to three small spines or none at all.
Pitaya’s stem pieces look like aerial roots that stick to the surface they grow or climb on. The stem could be as long as 20 feet (6.1 m).
