How to Propagate Dragon Fruit? A Detailed Introduction to Common Propagation Methods

Dragon fruit is a common tropical and subtropical fruit; its flesh is like sweet cream, yet it is filled with small black seeds. It has a mild texture and a delicate fragrance. So what are the propagation methods for dragon fruit?

1. Cuttings

The best time for cuttings is spring. Select plump, well-grown stem segments for the cuttings, cut them into small sections 375px long, and after the wounds have air-dried, insert them into a sand bed or stick them directly into the ground beneath the support frame and beside the concrete posts. After cutting, there is no need to water; keep the soil dry. Begin watering after 10 days. Roots form in about 15-30 days, and when the roots reach 3-100px, transplant to the seedling bed.

2. Grafting

Choose pest-free, disease-free, robustly growing “Dragon Fruit Rootstock” (Hylocereus undatus) with plump stem flesh as the rootstock, and graft on a sunny day. Cut a flat surface on the dragon fruit stem with a knife, insert the scion, align the cambium layers, and bind firmly with cotton thread. At 28-30°C, a large amount of callus tissue forms on the wound junction in 4-5 days; when the scion and rootstock colors are similar, it indicates the vascular bundles of the two have healed and the graft has succeeded. It can then be moved to a temporary planting bed to continue growing.

1. Selection of rootstock and scion

For yellow-fleshed dragon fruit types, wild triangular cactus (also known as “Overlord Flower”, Hylocereus triangularis) can be selected as the rootstock; for red-fleshed dragon fruit types, white-fleshed dragon fruit can be selected as the rootstock. Choose 1-2 year old triangular cactus, cut it from the mother plant at the stem node, and insert it into loose soil with a high sand content (deep enough to hold it firmly). Build a shade shed above, water thoroughly, and it can serve as rootstock. After about half a month, once it has rooted, grafting can be carried out. The scion should be a branch of the current year with good development.

2. Grafting time

Generally, grafting can be done in all seasons except the low-temperature period in winter. Because winter and spring have long periods of cold, damp weather, during grafting the wounds are not only difficult to heal but may also expand and endanger the plant. Therefore, grafting is best done from March to October, which provides sufficient healing and growth time and benefits fruit set the following year.

3. Disinfection treatment before grafting

The knives and other tools used for grafting should all be disinfected with alcohol or baijiu to prevent bacterial infection. If conditions permit, dip the base of the scion in sodium α-naphthaleneacetate solution; this can both promote callus tissue formation and increase the survival rate.

3. Pot Sowing

The germination temperature for dragon fruit seeds is around 25°C.

Choose a relatively fine potting soil, or use commercially available sowing soil instead.

Be sure to clean the flesh and gel adhering to the seeds thoroughly, otherwise mold is likely to grow during germination.

For a decorative small pot planting, the seeds should be spread fairly densely, especially at the edges, otherwise the result will be sparse and lose its aesthetic appeal.

If the pot has no drainage hole at the bottom, do not water directly with a watering can to avoid overwatering; spraying with a spray bottle once every 2-3 days is sufficient.

These are the common propagation methods for dragon fruit. Everyone can choose the propagation method that best suits their own situation based on actual conditions.