Halley’s Comet is a unique and ornamental dragon fruit hybrid that grows big fruits that can weigh up to 2 pounds! Halley’s Comet grows a little slower than some other varieties, which can be a good thing when you see how fast other varieties grow. Partially self-fertile, but you should still pollinate it with another variety to get the most fruit.
Description
The Dragon Fruit is a plant that grows on the ground and has a fleshy stem. The plant grows quickly, needs little care, and does well in pots. Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus guatemalensis are the parents of the Halley’s Comet Dragon Fruit.
The outside of the fruit is pink, with short green fins and purple flesh on the inside. Most fruits weigh between 1 and 2 pounds. The average brix of the flesh is 16, which means it is sweet.
The flowers are more than 13 inches across, and they bloom all summer long. Flowers are complicated and only bloom at night. This variety grows quickly and it can handle full sun with only a little sunburn.
| Latin name: | Hylocereus guatemalensis x H. undatus |
| Origin: | California |
| Lifespan: | Perennial |
| Site and soil: | 1/2 day to full sun and well-drained soil |
| Hardiness: | Can be grown where temperatures don’t fall below freezing |
| Growth structure: | Long, three sided vining succulent with tiny spines running the sides |
| Bearing age: | 2 years after planting |
| Weighs: | 1.5 - 2 lbs. |
| Size at maturity: | 3-10 ft. in height |
| Taste: | Sweet and refreshing |
| Pulp color: | Dark pink |
| Fruit skin: | Bright pink, green scales |
| Flavor: | Sweet, good |
| USDA Zone: | 9a |
| Self-pollinating: | Yes |
| Flavor: | 4 out of 5 |
| Appearance: | 5 out of 5 |
| Fruit production: | 3 out of 5 |
| Weather tolerance: | 4 out of 5 |
| Home planting: | 5 out of 5 |
| Commercial planting: | 4 out of 5 |
My tests have shown that Halley’s Comet can set fruit on its own, but for the best results, you should use pollen from any Hylocereus polyrhizus.
Tastes a lot like Physical Graffiti, and from what we’ve seen, it can take up to 5 years to fully mature and start making fruit.
It is also used to add flavor to baked goods and drinks. Halley’s Comet could have up to four fruiting cycles per year when it is at its peak. Halley’s Comet doesn’t need to be cross-pollinated, and many people think it’s the best dragon fruit variety.
How to grow
Plant the dragon fruit cuttings an inch deep in soils that drain well (or in pots) that get full sun to partial shade. Any part of the plant can send out roots. Just stick the piece of plant in the ground and wait for it to grow.
Put a wooden plant stake that is three feet long into the ground about two to three inches away from the plant. As the plant grows, you can tie it to the stake with gardening tape, so it stays in place. Pitaya fruit has branches that can grow up to 20 feet long.
All dragonfruit also need a strong trellis to support the weight of the fruit and keep the branches from breaking.
When you first plant this cactus, you should water it often and not let the soil dry out between waterings. Dragonfruit usually recovers quickly from light frosts, but it needs to be covered or moved inside when the temperature stays close to or below freezing (32°F, 0°C) for a long time.
Plant facts
- It has pink flesh and a great taste. It is related to Physical Graffiti, but it is not as “strong” or productive;
- Paul Thomson wrote it in the early 1980s in San Diego County, California;
- The fruit is round, big. The flesh is hot pink, and the seeds are small. The rind is bright red, thin, and has an average number of bracts. The quality is very good at 16.7 Brix, and it scored high in sensory tests. It takes 38 days from bloom to harvest in Southern California, and it can be picked from July to December;
- The plant has medium-thick stems with 3 well-defined ridges; the mature stems are mostly straight and dark green; the areoles have 1-3 spines that are 2-4 mm long; the segment between the areoles is convex and 53.6 mm long; the flowers have medium-thick petals that are white, a yellowish-green calyx, yellow anthers, and yellow stigma lobes;
- It can handle both cold and heat well, grows well in full sun, and has a good chance of making money.
Chasing the Comet: My Adventures with the Halley’s Comet Dragon Fruit
Let me tell you, growing dragon fruit is like raising a spiky, temperamental teenager. You gotta give it the right amount of attention, keep it out of trouble (harsh frosts, I’m looking at you), and watch in awe as it transforms into something truly spectacular. But the Halley’s Comet variety? That, my friends, is a whole other story. It’s like chasing a celestial marvel through your own backyard, with a delicious, magenta reward at the end.
Now, I’ve dabbled in my fair share of dragon fruit breeds. The classic red-skinned with white flesh is a reliable workhorse, but a bit bland. The yellow ones with the contrasting red flesh are like sunshine in a bite, but a little finicky. Then there’s the Halley’s Comet. This hybrid, a cross between the Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus guatemalensis, throws a visual curveball right from the start. Imagine a plump, alien heart – that’s the shape, with vibrant pink skin that seems to shimmer in the sunlight. The scales, instead of that sharp green you see on most dragon fruit, are these beautiful, abbreviated fins, a muted emerald against the hot pink. It’s like a miniature, edible version of that once-in-a-lifetime comet streaking across the night sky.
Now, looks are one thing, but taste is where it truly shines. This dragon fruit isn’t messing around. It packs a sweetness that rivals the best watermelon, with a subtle floral note that lingers on the tongue. It’s juicy, refreshing, and disappears in your mouth faster than you can say “second helping.” I swear, you can practically feel the antioxidants coursing through your veins with every bite.
Honestly, growing this beauty isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a climber, a vine that needs sturdy support to sprawl its spiky arms across. Think jungle gym for a fruit-bearing beast. But the payoff is worth the sweat. The flowers themselves are a sight to behold – enormous white blooms that unfurl at night, releasing a fragrance that’s both sweet and intoxicating. It’s like having a perfumery in your backyard, with the added bonus of attracting night pollinators (trust me, you want all the help you can get when it comes to fruit set).
There’s a certain satisfaction in nurturing this celestial wonder from a spindly cutting to a fruit-laden behemoth. It’s a constant dance – providing the right amount of water (too much and the fruit splits, too little and it shrivels), ensuring enough sunlight but not too much scorching heat, and keeping a watchful eye for pests. But when you finally hold that perfectly ripe Halley’s Comet in your hands, the weight of it, the vibrant color – it’s a feeling that can’t be replicated. It’s the culmination of patience, care, and a touch of cosmic wonder.
So, if you’re looking for a dragon fruit that’s not just delicious but a conversation starter in your garden, the Halley’s Comet is your pick. Just be prepared to chase it – it’s a celestial reward worth every step.
Conclusion
Halley’s Comet is a cross between a red flesh dragon fruit and a white flesh dragon fruit. The flesh of this hybrid is a beautiful magenta color, and the skin is pink to red. The skin of the fruit is pink, with green tips on the fins. The meat is hard, light, juicy, sweet, and sour. It is very refreshing and tastes like a sweet plum or strawberry.
This pitahaya fruit is between medium and large in size: it weighs 1 to 2 pounds and is sweet. Like other dragon fruits, Halley’s Comet has a unique and delicious taste. You can add it to your favorite drink or smoothie, or you can eat it fresh.
This variety has been shown to be a good producer and grow fairly quickly. This variety can bloom all summer long and can pollinate itself, but it can produce even better results if it crosses with another variety. Both commercial growers and people who grow plants at home should pay attention to this variety.
