How to grow a dragon bone cactus? Detailed guide to caring for it at home

  The dragon bone cactus belongs to the cactus family, with many branches and a blue-green color. The plant is generally 4 to 5 m tall, and its sturdy, upright form is a real eye-catcher. The dragon bone cactus is also a fairly easy potted plant to grow, and the key point is that it is believed to guard the home and ward off evil. It also has excellent ornamental value and can absorb harmful gases from the air, thereby purifying it. The dragon bone cactus is also a good rootstock; plants such as the crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii) and the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) can be grafted onto it. Below, we have gathered some care methods for the dragon bone cactus to share with you.

  Light 

  The dragon bone cactus likes a spot with plenty of sunlight, and generally placing it on a sunny balcony is enough. In summer, when the light is too strong, be sure to shade it, otherwise the leaves of the dragon bone cactus can easily be scorched.

  Watering 

  The dragon bone cactus is a succulent plant with good drought tolerance, so it should not be watered too much. Generally, when you see that the potting soil has become somewhat dry, you can give it some water, but in the right amount, otherwise the roots can easily rot.

  Repotting 

  The dragon bone cactus grows quickly and the plant is generally quite tall, so the pot usually needs to be changed once every two years. When changing the soil, keep some of the old soil, as this helps the roots grow. When repotting, disinfect the new pot before using it.

  Fertilizing 

  The dragon bone cactus does not need much fertilizer; generally, burying some base fertilizer in the potting soil before planting is enough. When repotting, you can add a little organic fertilizer, but the concentration must be low, otherwise the roots will burn.

  Pruning

  The dragon bone cactus should be pruned regularly; cut away the excess branches and leaves so it looks neater and more attractive. Withered and yellowed branches and leaves should also be pruned away, otherwise they will continue to draw nutrients and cause nutrient loss.

  Soil

  The dragon bone cactus is not strict about soil; generally choose a sandy soil with somewhat better drainage, as this helps the roots breathe and absorb nutrients, thereby promoting the growth of the dragon bone cactus.

  The above are the dragon bone cactus care methods compiled by the editors of Huinong Network. Finally, we should mention one small drawback of the dragon bone cactus: the stems have spines, so households with small children should be especially careful, and the white sap in the stems is also toxic. Never break the stems or leaves, and if you do touch it, be sure to wash your hands immediately.

How to grow a dragon bone cactus? Methods for growing the dragon bone cactus

The dragon bone cactus is a very common household potted plant. It not only has a unique appearance, but growing it indoors also helps purify the air, because the dragon bone cactus absorbs toxic and harmful gases such as formaldehyde and ether produced by renovation. Let's take a look at how to grow the dragon bone cactus.

The environment the dragon bone cactus adapts to

The dragon bone cactus is vigorous, liking warmth and warm air. It prefers partial shade, and the plant turns yellow under strong direct sunlight. The suitable growing temperature is 25 to 35°C. It is sensitive to low temperatures, and below 5°C the stem segments easily rot. The dragon bone cactus is drought-tolerant and sun-tolerant, and watering should be moderate; if the potting soil stays too wet for a long time, the roots will rot.

To grow the dragon bone cactus, first understand what kind of soil it likes. The dragon bone cactus likes fertile, loose soil. When potting, you can mix 1 part leaf mold and 1 part coarse sand, then add a small amount of growing medium made with chicken manure or cow manure.

In summer it needs to be kept in a partial-shade environment, while in winter there should be plenty of light; place it in a sunny spot indoors, and keep the temperature above 12°C, as below 12°C it is very prone to cold damage.

In summer the dragon bone cactus needs shading, which is more favorable for growth. For indoor dragon bone cacti, it is best to place them by a window near the light so they absorb more sunlight.

In spring it should not be watered too much; water once every half a month, but spray the plant every day to increase air humidity. In summer, it is best to water once a day in the morning or evening.

During the growing period, the dragon bone cactus should be fertilized once every 15 days; you can use granular compound fertilizer or homemade alum fertilizer water. But do not fertilize too much, to avoid fertilizer damage that causes root rot.

To prevent the dragon bone cactus from aging too early, prune it in time; cut off some of the branches that do not flower, so the new buds can fully develop and extend.

How to grow a dragon bone cactus: Methods for growing the dragon bone cactus

The dragon bone cactus is a plant of the genus Hylocereus in the cactus family. The dragon bone cactus is a climbing succulent shrub, 3 to 15 m long, with ribs often wing-like, margins wavy or round-toothed, dark green to pale blue-green, hairless; the margins of old branches are often calloused, pale brown, and bony; areoles are arranged along the ribs, 3 to 5 cm apart, about 2 mm in diameter. The dragon bone cactus is an epiphytic, highly succulent plant with large, white, fragrant flowers that open at night from May to September. So how do you grow the dragon bone cactus? Let's take a look below.

1: Basic information about the dragon bone cactus

The dragon bone cactus is also called "liangtianchi" (Hylocereus undatus). It is a climbing succulent shrub plant of the cactus family. The dragon bone cactus likes warm, humid and partially shaded environments, can tolerate drought, and fears low temperatures and frost; the wintering temperature in winter must not be lower than 7°C, otherwise it is prone to cold damage. A sandy loam rich in humus is best for the soil. It is 3 to 15 m long and has aerial roots. In regions such as Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi, it can be cultivated in courtyards or near villages, often climbing on tree trunks, abandoned walls or rocks; its stems are often used as grafting rootstock for various ball cacti. When planted at the corners and edges of greenhouses, the dragon bone cactus can serve as a hedge plant, while as a potted plant it can serve as rootstock for grafting other cactus family plants. It is distributed from Central America to northern South America, is widely cultivated around the world, and is wild in Hawaii; it is commonly cultivated in various parts of China, and has escaped into the wild in Fujian, Hainan and Guangxi, climbing on tree trunks, rocks or walls by means of aerial roots.

2: How to grow the dragon bone cactus

1: Soil: The dragon bone cactus is not demanding about soil quality; ordinary growing medium will do, but a nutrient-rich, fertile sandy soil is preferable. Its growing medium can be made by mixing leaf mold and coarse sand at a 1:1 ratio, then adding a little decomposed poultry or livestock manure.

2: Light: It is suitable for growing under partial shade. Although it tolerates sun, to avoid yellowing under strong light, shading measures should be taken in summer. In winter, place it in a spot with light and let it receive some sunlight. Indoor plants are best placed on a balcony, windowsill or similar place where light is available.

3: Temperature: The dragon bone cactus likes a warm environment, is not cold-tolerant, and fears frost. In winter the temperature should be above 10°C so it can overwinter smoothly, and it should receive a moderate, even amount of light; it must not be lower than 7°C, to avoid frost damage.

4: Water and fertilizer management: In spring it should not be watered too much; watering once every 10 to 15 days is enough, but the plant should be sprayed with water every day to increase air humidity. In summer it should be watered once a day, preferably in the morning or evening. In winter the potting soil should be kept moderately dry, and the pot can be wrapped with plastic film to protect it through the winter. The wintering growing environment should maintain both a relatively high temperature and relatively high air humidity.

5: Pruning: To prevent the dragon bone cactus from aging too early and to keep the vitality of its base, you should also pay attention to pruning it regularly. Cut off some of the old branches that do not flower much, and also remove the weak buds growing below, so that the terminal buds fully develop and extend and produce more flowers.