| Etymology | Genus | Hyle (Greek), meaning forest, woods or thicket; referring to its native habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Wavy edged | |
| Family | Cactaceae | |
| Synonyms | Cereus tricostatus Rol.-Goss., Hylocereus guatemalensis (Eichlam) Britton & Rose | |
| Common Names | Dragon Fruit, Buah Naga, Pitahaya | |
| Status | Exotic: Cultivated Only | |
| Form | Climber | |
| Native Distribution | Central America | |
Diagnostics:
Hylocereus undatus is the only climbing cactus found here. I have yet, to my knowledge seen it being cultivated at scale here, though individuals have been spotted now and then.
Interesting Facts:
The Dragon Fruit is well-known for its striking pink, edible fruit, with overlapping sepals. Its flowers only bloom at night.
Vietnam is the world's biggest exporter of the Dragon Fruit. In 2013, it accounts for 55% of the country's total fruit export (Doanh, 2014).
A plantation of Dragon Fruit in Phan Thiết, Vietnam.
They are typically grown on short pillars so that it is easy to harvest the fruits.
A portion of their succulent stem.
Wilting flowers.
A developing fruit.
References
Doanh Nhan (2014) Earning $1 billion, but fruit exporters can't get good night's sleep. Vietnam Breaking News. Accessed on 27-Feb-2017.Author: Siyang
Posted: 2017-08-27 / Modified: 2017-12-25