Dragon Fruit
Selenicereus undatus
NEMBA category
English: Dragon Fruit, Pitahaya, Pitaya, Night-blooming Cereus, White-fleshed Pitahaya, White-fleshed Pitaya, Belle of the Night, Red Pitahaya, Strawberry Pear
Afrikaans: Draakvrug, Pitahaya
Historical scientific names: Hylocereus undatus, Cereus undatus
Selenicereus undatus, commonly known as Dragon Fruit or Pitahaya, is a sprawling, climbing, epiphytic (growing on other plants) or lithophytic (growing on rocks) cactus. It features long, fleshy, three-angled (triangular) green stems with small spines along the edges and produces numerous aerial roots that cling to surfaces. At night, it boasts enormous, fragrant, white, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom for only one night. These spectacular flowers develop into the vibrant, scaly, bright pink or yellow, white-fleshed fruit known as dragon fruit, which is highly prized for its mild, sweet flavour.
Although cultivated for its fruit, this plant is an alien invasive species in South Africa, particularly in coastal forests and thickets, where its stems spread rapidly, smothering indigenous vegetation and altering habitats.
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Origin:
Native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America, specifically Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.
Distinguishing features:
Triangular, sprawling stems: Long, fleshy, typically three-angled (though sometimes 2- or 4-angled) green stems with wavy, often reddish margins, armed with small spines.
Aerial roots: Produces numerous brown, string-like aerial roots along its stems that cling to host trees, rocks, or other structures.
Enormous, nocturnal white flowers: Bears strikingly large (20-30 cm long, 25 cm wide), trumpet-shaped, white, highly fragrant flowers that only open at night and close by morning.
Vibrant 'dragon fruit': Produces distinctive, oval to oblong fruits, 10-15 cm long, with prominent fleshy scales, typically bright pink or red, though sometimes yellow, containing white or red flesh with tiny black seeds.
Climbing/epiphytic habit: Grows by scrambling over and clinging to trees, rocks, or structures, often forming dense tangles.
Overall appearance:
A sprawling, climbing cactus with long, angular green stems that form dense, tangled masses. It is most striking when its large, white, nocturnal flowers bloom or when adorned with its brightly coloured, scaly fruits.
Height:
As a climber, its stems can reach lengths of 6 to 12 metres or more, sprawling horizontally or climbing vertically over supporting structures.
Width:
Can spread many metres wide, forming extensive, dense thickets or blankets over vegetation.
Leaves:
Not applicable, as it is a cactus; its stems perform the function of leaves. Small, bristly spines (areoles) are present along the edges of the stems.
Flowers:
Spectacular, very large, trumpet-shaped, 20 to 30 centimetres long and up to 25 centimetres wide. They are pure white with yellow throats, highly fragrant, and open only at night, usually for a single night, pollinated by moths or bats.
Flowering season (South Africa):
Mainly summer to autumn (around November to April), but can be sporadic.
Fruits:
Known as dragon fruit or pitahaya. They are oval to oblong, 10 to 15 centimetres long, with prominent, fleshy, green or reddish scales covering the peel. The skin is typically bright pink or red (sometimes yellow). The flesh is white (or sometimes red/purple), juicy, mildly sweet, and dotted with numerous tiny, edible black seeds.
Seeds:
Numerous, tiny (1-2 mm), black, shiny, and edible seeds, embedded throughout the fruit pulp. They are dispersed by animals that consume the fruit.
Bark:
Not applicable, as it is a cactus with fleshy stems.
Thorns:
The stems have clusters of short, stiff spines (areoles) along their edges, which are generally not as formidable as those of desert cacti, but can still be sharp.
Wood:
Not applicable, as it is a fleshy-stemmed cactus.
Roots:
Produces numerous adventitious aerial roots along its stems that anchor the plant to its support. It also develops a shallow, fibrous root system where stems come into contact with soil.
Soil type:
As an epiphytic/lithophytic plant, it doesn't primarily grow in soil, but it can root in shallow pockets of organic matter on trees or rocks. If planted in soil, it prefers well-drained, fertile soil, but it is highly adaptable.
Aspect:
Prefers full sun to partial shade. It thrives in warm, humid, tropical to subtropical climates and is sensitive to frost.
Edibility:
The ripe fruit (dragon fruit) is widely edible and consumed fresh. It has a mild, sweet flavour and is popular for its unique appearance.
Toxicity:
Generally considered non-toxic to humans.
Uses:
Primarily cultivated globally for its popular and commercially valuable edible fruit (dragon fruit). It is also grown as an ornamental plant for its spectacular nocturnal flowers and unique growth habit.
Ecology:
As an alien invasive plant in South Africa, Selenicereus undatus is a growing threat, particularly in coastal forests, riverine thickets, and rocky areas. Its scrambling, climbing stems grow vigorously over indigenous trees and shrubs, forming dense, heavy tangles that can smother, shade out, and eventually kill host plants. It can also form dense ground cover. It spreads rapidly through vegetative fragmentation (stem pieces breaking off and rooting easily) and by seeds dispersed by birds and other animals (monkeys, baboons, fruit bats) that consume its attractive fruits. Its dense growth can alter habitat structure and reduce biodiversity.
Distribution and habitat:
Increasingly naturalised and invasive in the warmer, wetter, and coastal regions of South Africa. It is a particular problem in the Eastern Cape (found invading coastal forests and thickets around Kenton-on-Sea), KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and parts of the Western Cape. It invades coastal forests, riparian zones, woodlands, rocky outcrops, and disturbed areas.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Selenicereus is derived from the Greek word 'selene' (moon), referring to its nocturnal flowers, and 'cereus' (wax torch), referring to its columnar, candle-like stems.
The species epithet undatus is Latin for "wavy" or "undulate," referring to the wavy margins of its stem segments. "Dragon Fruit" refers to the fruit's scaly, reptilian appearance.
"Pitahaya" and "Pitaya" are common names from its native regions.
Historical aspects:
Dragon Fruit was introduced to South Africa as a horticultural curiosity and for its increasingly popular edible fruit. Its ease of cultivation, rapid growth, and the appeal of its fruit (leading to wider dispersal by animals) meant it quickly escaped from gardens. Its ability to grow epiphytically on other trees and its high reproductive capacity from stem fragments have enabled it to establish as a significant invader in vulnerable natural habitats, threatening indigenous forest and thicket ecosystems.
Interesting facts:
This plant is famous for growing the super trendy 'Dragon Fruit', which looks like something straight out of a fantasy movie with its bright pink skin and scales!
It's a real night owl! Its giant, beautiful white flowers only open up after dark, putting on a spectacular show just for moths and bats!
Even though it's a cactus, it loves to climb! It uses special 'aerial roots' to cling onto trees and rocks, sprawling out like a giant green octopus.
If a piece of its stem breaks off and lands somewhere moist, it can easily sprout roots and grow into a whole new plant – it's super good at making copies of itself!
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