Dragon Fruit Plant Care (Hylocereus Undatus)

The Dragon fruit plant (Hylocereus undatus), is a popular cactus that looks like a prickly plant with many spines, but the spines are soft and won’t hurt.

To care for an indoor dragon fruit plant, provide well-draining soil and a sunny location with at least six hours of indirect sunlight. Allow the top of the soil to dry slightly between waterings, and fertilize during the growing season.

Hylocereus Undatus

The Hylocereus undatus is native to several countries in Central America and South America. It is both a lithophyte, growing on rocks, and an epiphyte, using aerial roots to climb on branches of other plants.

Young plants are often confused with the similar-looking dog tail cactus (Selenicereus testudo). Their care is similar, but they are different types of plants. This is most noticeable when they get older. The angled stems on both will flatten when they mature. The ones of the dog’s tail will get much wider with tapered ends, like dog tails.

Want to grow your own Dragon Fruit plant? Find it for sale on Amazon!

Need a succulent plant care refresher? Check out the Beginners Guide to Succulent Care.

Light Requirements

Dragonfruit plants do not grow well in low light. Give it plenty of bright sunlight. A south-facing window where it gets at least 6 hours of sun is ideal.

The stems bend towards the light, so rotate your plant regularly for even growth.

If it is not getting enough light, the top of the stems may grow very thin. Prune off the skinny growth and move the plant to where it gets more sunlight. If you can not give your plant enough natural light, consider getting a grow light.   

Read more: Do succulents need sun?

Watering

The dragon fruit plant is a jungle cactus, not a desert cactus. So it likes more water than regular cacti.

In summer keep the soil damp, but not soggy. When the top layer feels dry it’s time to water. If the pot is very full and you can’t reach the soil to check, learn how the weight feels when you just watered and when the soil is dry.

Use a watering can with a long spout to reach the soil or soak the soil by watering from the bottom rather than from the top. 

Leaves should feel firm. Drooping, limp leaves drying up is the first sign your plant needs water. If in doubt, don’t water yet. An underwatered plant is easier to revive than an overwatered plant. If you are uncertain, you can use a moisture meter to help you out with when to water.

Use a diluted liquid plant fertilizer to feed your dragon fruit plant once a month in spring and summer. Don’t fertilize in winter and water very sparingly. Water just enough to make sure the leaves don’t shrivel up completely. 

Read more: How often to water indoor cactus plants.

Overwatering

Don’t water too often. Overwatering is a common problem with these plants. Frequent overwatering can lead to root rot problems. 

If the roots rot, they can’t absorb any water and thus can’t supply water to the plant. Dragon fruit stems should feel firm but will become soft and mushy when overwatered. You might notice the stems start drooping and the base turning yellow or translucent, then brown because it’s rotting.

Unfortunately, root rot is irreversible. But you can save an overwatered dragon fruit plant by cutting any remaining healthy parts off and propagating those to start over. 

Dragon Fruit and Flowers

It can take several years for a Dragon Fruit cactus to reach maturity before it can bloom or produce fruit. And even then the growing conditions need to be just right for your plant to grow flowers or fruit indoors.

When you purchase a Hylocereus undatus plant, it is usually a group of young cuttings stuck together in a pot. So no worries if your plant doesn’t bloom for a long time.

When the fragrant flowers do grow, they grow at the tip of the stems and are short-lived, lasting one night only. This is why sometimes the plant is also referred to as Queen of the Night or Night Blooming Cereus.

Even if your plant grows flowers, it doesn’t mean there will be any fruit. The flowers need to be pollinated. Outdoors insects will do this, but indoors you will have to do this yourself. A precise job where you need to transfer the pollen from the male parts of the flowers to the female parts.

The fruits are called pitaya or dragon fruit and resemble a dragon with bright pink outer skin and green scales. They are edible and contain tiny black seeds in a juicy white pulp.

Dragon Fruit Propagation

These plants are easiest propagated from cuttings or by division. Propagating from seeds is an option, but it will take a long time for them to grow into a full plant.

Want to learn more about plant propagation? Read the complete guide explaining the 6 different ways to propagate all your plants. 

Propagate Cuttings in Soil 

To increase the success of propagation and to have a full plant sooner, take multiple cuttings to propagate.

• Cut a couple of healthy stems from the plant.
• Let the cuttings dry and callous over for about 2-3 days. 
• Dip the ends in rooting hormone. This powder helps the roots to grow faster and stronger and prevents fungus growth. If you don’t have any, you can skip it. The process just might take a little longer without it. 
• Fill a small pot with succulent soil and plant the stems with the calloused ends in the dirt. 
• Place the cuttings in bright, indirect light. 
• Water very sparingly until you see new growth. At that time, continue with regular care. 

Propagation by Division 

Propagate large dragon fruit plants by splitting the stems and rootball, and repotting the parts in separate, smaller containers.  

• Take the plant out of the pot. Gently remove as much old soil as possible without damaging the roots. 
• Decide where to divide the plant. Each section needs stem growth as well as roots attached. 
• Gently separate the roots and foliage with your hands. 
• If the root ball is very tangled, make a clean cut with a sharp knife to split the plant. 
• Pot each part in its own planter. Keep them in bright indirect light.   
• Water once, and wait to water again until you see new growth. 

Is the Dragon Fruit Cactus Toxic to Cats?

Hylocereus undatus is considered non-toxic. It is safe to grow dragon fruit cactus plants at home around your cats or dogs. 

Learn more about the risks of toxic houseplants around your pets (and find out which other plants are non-toxic and safe!).