Dragon fruit cacti: potential in the Virgin Islands

Dragon fruit or pitaya or pitahaya is a climbing cactus closely related to the native night blooming cerius.
This cactus produces large succulent fruit.
The objective was to evaluate production potential of 25 pitaya cultivars in the US. Virgin Islands.
Stem cuttings were established in a former grape trellis system.
Plants were set in a replicated trial at either 0.7 or 1.4 m within-row spacing.
Established pitaya proved able to grow to the top of a two m tall trellis system and ad flower within a year.
Plant growth and flowering were monitored monthly and data recorded.
Ripe fruit were harvested and data collected on weight, length, width, fruit flesh color and soluble sugar content.
After a year of field establishment, 67% flowered and set fruit.
All flowers were naturally pollinated at night by local bats so no hand pollination was required.
Six pitaya cultivars were recommended based on production, fruit size and sweetness.
These cultivars were ‘Dark Star’, ‘Delight’, ‘Halley’s Comet’, ‘Makisupa’, ‘Physical Graffiti’ and ‘Purple Haze’. Pitaya has potential for production in the semi-arid Virgin Islands.

XI International Congress on Cacti as Food, Fodder and Other Uses

R. Smart, T.W. Zimmerman

cactus, dragon fruit, pitaya

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2026.1452.10