How to Grow Dragon Bone Flower (Dragon Fruit Cactus): Cultivation Methods, Precautions, and Root Rot Prevention and Treatment

Dragon Bone Flower is also known as Liangtianchi (Hylocereus undatus). When it comes to its fruit, most people probably know it - that's the dragon fruit. So how do you grow Dragon Bone Flower? What are the cultivation methods and precautions for Dragon Bone Flower? What are the prevention and treatment methods for Dragon Bone Flower root rot?

1. What is Dragon Bone Flower?

Dragon Bone Flower, also known as Liangtianchi (Hylocereus undatus), is a climbing plant in the Cactaceae family with aerial roots. It has numerous branches, dark green to pale blue-green, hairless, with older branches turning pale brown; flowers are funnel-shaped, opening at night; the flower receptacle and receptacle tube are densely covered with pale green or yellow-green scales; filaments are yellow-white; anthers are pale yellow; the style is yellow-white, linear. The flowers can be used as a vegetable, also known as "King Bully Flower" (Bawanghua). The berry is red, with a small umbilicus, and white flesh. Seeds are obovate, black, with a small hilum, and the berry is edible. The flowering period is from July to December. It is suitable for courtyard planting, pot cultivation, or as a hedge plant.

2. Cultivation Methods for Dragon Bone Flower

Dragon Bone Flower is a very easy plant to grow; we all call it the lazy person's flower. Dragon Bone Flower is drought-tolerant, sun-tolerant, and not moisture-tolerant, so you must pay attention when watering. If the potting soil stays too wet for a long time, it will cause root rot. Winter is the dormant period for Dragon Bone Flower, and at this time watering once every one or two months is no problem. Dragon Bone Flower likes warmth and dislikes cold, so you must control the temperature during overwintering. Generally, as long as the temperature stays above 10 degrees in winter, Dragon Bone Flower can survive. In winter, to prevent Dragon Bone Flower from rotting, it needs to be placed in a sunny spot to get plenty of sunlight, and the pot should be rotated at regular intervals.

Dragon Bone Flower is not very demanding about soil; ordinary potting mix will allow it to grow well. Dragon Bone Flower also does not have very high fertilizer requirements. During the growing season, apply a dilute fertilizer once every 15 to 20 days. Granular compound fertilizer or homemade alum fertilizer water can both be used, but the fertilizer must not be too concentrated, to avoid fertilizer burn that leads to root rot. Dragon Bone Flower has relatively high light requirements, so you must provide sufficient sunlight. In summer, Dragon Bone Flower kept indoors for viewing should be placed near a window close to sunlight as much as possible, so it can get more sun, which can help it grow better.

3. Precautions for Growing Dragon Bone Flower

The fleshy stems of Dragon Bone Flower have sharp spines, and the white sap in the stems is toxic, especially if it gets into the eyes. Therefore, when growing it at home, pay special attention to placing it in a suitable location to prevent children and elderly people from being pricked or poisoned. Growing Dragon Bone Flower requires repotting once every two years. Dragon Bone Flower does not have many roots, so a pot size proportional to the plant is sufficient.

4. What prevention and treatment methods are there for Dragon Bone Flower root rot?

1. For Dragon Bone Flower that has developed root rot, you must promptly cut off all the rotted parts together with the 3-5 cm section above the rot that has not yet rotted, then disinfect the wound with plant ash or sulfur powder, and place it in a cool, dry place to air-dry for 2-3 days. Then use sterilized clean sand for cuttings, without mixing in soil. If your Dragon Bone Flower is too large, you can divide it into several plants at this time. A Dragon Bone that is too large will easily topple when planted in one pot and is not easy to keep alive.

2. Insert it 3-5 cm into the sand, water it thoroughly, and afterward do not water as long as the sand is not dry. You can spray a small amount of water over the whole plant, but it must not be exposed to rain.

3. The environmental conditions require good lighting, gentle ventilation, a temperature of 25-30 degrees C, and humidity of 30-50%. In addition, do not fertilize at all. In 30 to 40 days, it will take root.

Through the above introduction, we now know what Dragon Bone Flower is, the cultivation methods and precautions for Dragon Bone Flower, and what prevention and treatment methods there are for Dragon Bone Flower root rot. In everyday care, although Dragon Bone is relatively easy to grow, we should also pay attention to avoiding various abnormal situations.