Plant of the Month: November 2025

Title image above is copyright © Günter

First published 1st November 2025

Family: Cactaceae (the cactus family)
Genus: Selenicereus (includes several dragon fruit species)

Botanical/Binomial Name: Selenicereus guatemalensis × Selenicereus undatus
Meaning of Name:
Selenicereus, from Ancient Greek Σελήνη (Selḗnē, the Greek moon goddess) + Latin cereus (‘wax taper’, ‘torch’, ‘candle’, also a name used for upright cacti): night-flowering cactus; and
guatemalensis, from Latin guatemalēnsis (‘Guatemalan’); and
undatus, from Latin undātus (‘wavy’, ‘wave-like’)

Common Names: Dragon Fruit, Strawberry Pear, Pitaya

Botanical Characteristics: Succulent | Perennial | Evergreen | Frost tender
Propagation: Cuttings | Layering

Item Description:
With many thanks to Günter for these pieces! The cuttings are about 80-100 mm wide by about 500-800 mm tall. The photos are copyright © Günter.

Plant Description:
Dragon fruit comes from any of several species of climbing cactus.

The ‘Purple Haze’ cultivar is a fruit with red skin and vivid purple flesh, and is a hybrid of Selenicereus guatemalensis (red skin, purple flesh) and Selenicereus undatus (red skin, white flesh).

The flowers open at night and require cross-pollination with another type to set fruit. Bats and moths are the pollinators.

‘Purple Haze’ fruit is very sweet, large, and up to 1 kg in weight.

Growing Information:
Dragon fruit cacti are grown in well-draining, fertile soil in full sun to partial shade. They are natural climbers via aerial roots, and growth is encouraged up a thick pole or similar support of about 1-1.5 m in height. Once they reach the top they will naturally arch out and down towards the ground under their own weight.

The flowers and fruit form on these unsupported lengths, in reach for an easy harvest.