OT: Dragonfruit Flowering

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Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404334453	Reply with quote #1

In the last couple of weeks my white pitaya (dragonfruit) has gone from having a small bud to an enormous one that's just about to flower. I'm thinking it will be tomorrow since it's already almost 5:00pm here: __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

Dave

Registered:1312388324
Posts: 1,482

Posted 1404336757	Reply with quote #2

Very nice i wish i could grow one good luck! __________________ Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada

newnandawg

Registered:1344130335
Posts: 2,535

Posted 1404341472	Reply with quote #3

Nice, thanks got sharing. I have three varieties, how big do they have to get before blooming.

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1404341902	Reply with quote #4

Beautiful! Rumor has it the plant has to weigh over 10 lbs before flowering starts. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

donpaid

Registered:1388952715
Posts: 216

Posted 1404342781	Reply with quote #5

Looks otherworldly...amazing! Heard they taste pretty good too!

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404342784	Reply with quote #6

Quote: Originally Posted by rcantor Beautiful! Rumor has it the plant has to weigh over 10 lbs before flowering starts. This is my first pitaya flower so I'm no expert but I have heard the exact same thing. I've also heard that it won't flower if you let it grow more than 6'-7' tall. It needs to be topped so it can branch out and form the fruit on the lateral branches. __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

Beyondista

Registered:1288798678
Posts: 119

Posted 1404343114	Reply with quote #7

Geez, they need to be 10 lbs to flower. I've got a bunch of "Dark Star" dragonfruit going but they are only a couple years old so at this rate it could take years. __________________ BEYOND Vineyard - La Farge, Wisconsin z4b http://facebook.com/beyondvineyard Driftless Sacred Grove - West Lima, Wisconsin https://www.facebook.com/driftlessgrove ebay: sacredgroveorganics http://www.ebay.com/usr/sacredgroveorganics

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404344295	Reply with quote #8

Here's another pic... I've got a paint brush ready to try to hand pollinate, but with only a single flower, not sure how well it will work! __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

newnandawg

Registered:1344130335
Posts: 2,535

Posted 1404350421	Reply with quote #9

Can you post a pic of the entire plant?

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404350758	Reply with quote #10

Quote: Originally Posted by newnandawg Can you post a pic of the entire plant? It's tough to get the whole plant in a single pic, but here's a shot from about 10 days ago when I first noticed the bud (although, you won't see it in this pic): __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404352969	Reply with quote #11

Update just an hour or two after the last pics and just beautiful! I already hand pollinated and will do again in a few hours and again in the morning, just to give it my best shot.: __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

Aaron4USA

Registered:1375832059
Posts: 2,969

Posted 1404355465	Reply with quote #12

such a beauty! You can pollinate with brush, even if only one flower.

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404400569	Reply with quote #13

Quote: Originally Posted by Aaron4USA such a beauty! You can pollinate with brush, even if only one flower. Aaron, thanks. I wasn't sure if a single pitaya flower could pollinate itself and am glad to hear that it can. I did three rounds with a paint brush between last night and this morning, so hoping it did the job. __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

HarveyC

Registered:1212433117
Posts: 3,294

Posted 1404403561	Reply with quote #14

Some experts don't believe there are many varieties that are self-fertile but I've had success with some which I pollinated with their own pollen. The fruit might be larger if cross-pollinated and, perhaps, success would be higher. If you have enough flowers opening it's probably best to mix pollen and cross-pollinate. I've had plants bloom when smaller than 10 pounds and one that finally bloomed for the first time this year and it was probably already 15-20 pounds last year. I am probably going to build a greenhouse for my collection since they get too much freeze damage here. __________________ Harvey - Correia Farms Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14 http://www.figaholics.com https://www.facebook.com/Figaholics

vito12831

Registered:1256950611
Posts: 840

Posted 1404411404	Reply with quote #15

Such a beauty. Is that three plants or a single plant? I started some cuttings this winter that I got from a generous member. I'm wondering if it could winter in the garage at 45 degrees or under the grow lights in my cellar? Vito

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1404425183	Reply with quote #16

There are a total of 4 Pitaya growing up the post. All pics, except the one in Post #10, are of a single Pitaya. __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

vito12831

Registered:1256950611
Posts: 840

Posted 1404438146	Reply with quote #17

Thank you Figaro Vito

Figaro

Registered:1360799941
Posts: 436

Posted 1409248696	Reply with quote #18

Quick update, and I apologize for not having pic's... My hand-pollination of the single pitaya flower was successful and absolutely delicious! It was the first time I've tasted a dragonfruit. It was the white-fleshed variety which I had heard were pretty bland-tasting. This one was very sweet and tasted kind of like a cross between a banana and a papaya with a texture more like a kiwi. I only ate about 1/4 of it and froze the rest for smoothies. I'm looking forward to a lot more, but so far, no more flowers on any of the DF's. :( __________________ ============================ [B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc Wish List: CdDN, CdDG, Ischia Black, Galicia Negra ============================

Gardencrochet

Registered:1364702298
Posts: 205

Posted 1434787557 · Edited	Reply with quote #19

PITAYA __________________ https://www.facebook.com/gardencrochet

figherder

Registered:1378804761
Posts: 237

Posted 1434815872	Reply with quote #20

Looks delicious. I had my first one a couple months ago and I am hooked. Bought 6 starter plants from wellspring but they are 3 " tall so I will still be buying them for awhile. :). __________________ Jeff in zone 5b Wish list St rita,Vista,Sal's G,De la Reina, preto, Sport and pops purple red from Bellaclare, Planera Malta Black, Navid Unk Dark Greek,

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