Many people think that Purple Haze Dragon Fruits look like alien eggs or fruit from another planet because they are so strange. The oval fruits are 3 to 4 inches long, and their skins have fins that look like petals. They may look like something from another world, but they are actually strange fruits that grow on a cactus that climbs.
Description
Hylocereus guatemalensis and Hylocereus undatus are the parents of Purple Haze Dragon Fruit. Purple Haze’s fruit has bright purple flesh, a pink skin, and green fins. The fruits are big and can weigh between 1 and 2 pounds with a grape/kiwi flavor. If you thin the buds, you can get even more fruit. Most of the time, this variety bears fruit three times a year. It grows very quickly and fills in quickly.
More research has shown that 5-S and Purple Haze are the same thing. Paul Thomson made the S-5 seedling, which is talked about in his book Pitahaya. 5S is a cross between Rixford, which has purple flesh, and Niezel, which has white flesh.
The fruits can be grown in the ground in USDA Zones 9–11, or in pots in Zones 4–11. Self-sterile, so plant with another kind and pollinate the flowers by hand.
How to grow
Purple Haze Dragon Fruit Trees are easy to grow and do well in places that are hot and dry. They need full sun and soil that drains quickly. They can withstand pests, diseases, and people who want to eat them. You just need a sunny spot and a pole for the succulent vine to climb on.
| Latin name: | Hylocereus guatemalensis x H. undatus |
| Preferred climate: | Tropical, subtropical |
| Outside color: | Red |
| Pulp color: | Red magenta / purple |
| Taste: | Similar to a kiwi-grape |
| Sun: | Full to part sun |
| Max height (when in the ground with good conditions): | 2-5m |
| Suitability in pots: | Yes, with 35L+ pot |
| Water requirements: | Drought hardy (little watering) |
| Is it a dwarf fruit tree: | Can be pruned to 2m |
| Time to fruit / flower / harvest: | 2-3 years |
| Preferred soil type: | Perfect drainage (sand / volcanic) |
| Soil pH: | Neutral (6.6-7.3pH) |
| Fruiting / harvest months: | February, March, April, May, June |
| Flavor: | 5 out of 5 |
| Appearance: | 5 out of 5 |
| Production: | 3 out of 5 |
| Home planting: | 5 out of 5 |
| Commercial planting: | 5 out of 5 |
Placement
Put your climbing cactus where it will get full sun. If you have to put your plant somewhere with some shade, make sure the tips are always in the sun, so it can bloom. The cactus is different from most other types of cactus in that it needs help to grow. So plant it next to a fence or trellis, or add something to help it grow. At least 2 meters should be left between each one.
Pitaya doesn’t like temperatures below 2°F, so if you live in a cold area and want to grow it, cover it with frost cover or greenhouse plastic.
Size
This cactus grows to be between 2 and 5 meters tall, depending on the conditions. The flower can get as big as 30 centimeters long and 25 centimeters wide.
Type of soil
Dragon fruit plants can grow in any soil that drains well. This keeps the soil from getting too wet and lets the roots grow more easily. If you can, try to find sandy soil with a pH between 6 and 7 (slightly acidic).
Mulch
Mulch helps keep weeds away, add nutrients to the soil, and keep water in the soil. Use 5–15 centimeters of organic mulch, but keep it 20–30 centimeters away from the plant itself so it doesn’t rot. Hay, wood chips, old leaves, and grass clippings are all great organic materials to use as mulch.
Watering
Water your plant when you can feel that the top of the soil around it is dry. Water it until the soil is damp, but not so wet that it can’t hold any more water. If it doesn’t rain, twice a week should be enough.
Tip: Pick your crops at the right time, because a ripe fruit can burst when it rains. And don’t water the fruit two days before you want to pick it. Then, the taste gets less.
Fertilizing
Give your pitahaya fertiliser every month during the growing season, which is during the warmer months. You can also feed them once in the spring and once after the plant is done making fruit. Then, stop giving the plant food in the winter. Dragon fruits do best with a fertilizer that dissolves in water, like a 20-20-20.
Pruning
Make sure that only one stem grows. You can get rid of any others by making slanted cuts with a clean, sharp knife. If you don’t get rid of the scraps properly, they will quickly grow into weeds. You can also grow more dragon fruit from these pieces.
Once a tree is established, the best time to prune is early in the morning right after it bears fruit.
Harvesting
From February to June, dragon fruit plants bear fruit. About 30 to 40 days after the first sign of fruit, pick fruits with even colors.
When you gently press on the flesh, it should give a little bit. If the fruit is soft or the stem is dry and shrunken, it is past its prime. They do keep getting riper even after being picked from the plant. So, if they are very firm when you pick them, wait a few days for them to soften.
Depending on the weather, it can take between two and three years to fruit. Every year, the fruit will get bigger and there will be more of it.
Watering
Dragon fruit won’t grow if it gets too much water (it will rot), but it does need more water than the average cactus. The suggestion is to water low to medium.
Temperature
Dragon fruit doesn’t do well in temperatures below 35°F. To keep them safe from the cold, keep them in pots.
Soil
They do best in full sun and warmer temperatures with soil that drains well.
Care advice
Place the plant in the shade for the first week so it can recover from being moved. Check the root mass through the clear cup to see when it needs to be moved to a bigger pot. Put them in pots that are 10 to 20 gallons.
Depending on the weather, it can take between two and three years to fruit. Every year, the fruit will get bigger and there will be more of it.
Conclusion
H. guatemalensis and H. undatus are the parents of the Purple Haze dragonfruit (DF) hybrid. One of the DF types that grows the fastest is Purple Haze. The fins are wide, and the segments are long. The inside of the fruit is bright purple, and the outside is pink.
Cross-pollinate with Pink Pearl to make sure you get lots of fruit. Fine seeds that are like kiwi seeds. Fruits can be up to 1 kg in weight. From February to June, it bears fruit.
