The secret to abundant dragon fruit harvests. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
The secret to abundant dragonfruit harvests
✍️The secret to abundant dragonfruit harvests
🔴 Dragon fruit (Pitaya) thrives when it's fed regularly. For the best results, use Sunshine C-Cibus, a complete liquid fertilizer made for fruit trees. It is gentle enough to apply with every watering, all year long, and it gives your plants the steady nutrition they need to set more flowers and produce bigger harvests.
Both names refer to climbing cacti in the genus Hylocereus. The word pitaya is more common in Latin America, while dragon fruit is the name used in Asia and English-speaking countries. They come in different types: white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis), and yellow-skinned (Hylocereus, or Selenicereusmegalanthus). All share the same growth habit and care needs. Pitaya or dragon fruit - whichever name you use, it's one of the easiest exotic fruits to grow at home.
🍉 How to grow Dragon Fruit
▫️Get a desired variety or start from a cutting - let the cut end dry for a few days before planting to prevent rot.
▫️Plant in well-draining soil with lots of sun.
▫️Give it a strong support to climb on - it's a vining cactus.
▫️Water deeply but let the soil dry between waterings.
▫️Flowers open at night and need pollination - some types are self-fertile, others need cross-pollination.
▫️With care, you can enjoy fruit in 1-2 years. Remember to ferilize!
🍉 Dragon fruit varieties
🔴 ⚪️ Red skin, white flesh(Hylocereus undatus) - The most popular type, and the biggest fruit. Mildly sweet, refreshing, and often compared to a kiwi crossed with a pear.
Varieties:David Bowie, Delight, Hana, Lake Atitlan, Seoul Kitchen, Vietnamese Jaina, Hana
🔴🔴 Red skin, red flesh(Hylocereus costaricensis) - Sweeter, juicier, and more intense in flavor. The deep red juice can stain, but it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Varieties:American Beauty, Bloody Mary, Eureka Red, Costa Rican Sunset, Mac Edwin, Halleys Comet, Mac Edwin, Makisupa, Mega Red, Physical Graffiti, Sweet Red
🔴🟣 Red flesh, purple/magenta flesh(Hylocereus x costaricensis) - Hybrids, usually between red and white varieties.
🟡⚪️ Yellow skin, white flesh (Hylocereus, or Selenicereusmegalanthus) - Smaller fruit, but the sweetest of all. Crisp, juicy, and tropical with notes of pineapple or honey. Varieties:Amarilla (Kirin), Colimbiana, Godlen Dragon, Palora, Thai Gold (Hawaiian)
Each type looks stunning and tastes slightly different, but all are easy to grow once you give them sun, support, and patience.
These aren't your typical tropicals - they're collector-grade Anthuriums grown for foliage and texture. Each one brings something
different, but they all thrive in the same kind of setting: shade or filtered
light, warmth, and humidity. Perfect for growing in containers indoors or
out.
Anthurium Black Dragon
This is the most dramatic of the trio. Upright, leathery leaves shift
from dark green to nearly black depending on light. Instead of bright flowers,
it produces a dark brown spadix and glowing red berries. A hybrid not found
in the wild, it's grown from seed - no two are exactly alike.
Best for: Indoor focal plant, shaded patio, black ceramic pot
This one's about scale. Broad, crinkled leaves with a cardboard-like
texture form a bold rosette. It can get huge with time - up to 6 feet across.
Perfect for gardeners who want the "instant jungle" look.
Graceful and rare, this species sends out narrow strap-like leaves that can
reach 5–6 ft long. Ideal for hanging baskets or mounting. Bonus: it
produces small pink fruit against deep green foliage.
Best for: Hanging displays, vertical planters, bright bathrooms
Height: Leaf length, not upright height - up to 6 ft
Light:
Bright, indirect light is best. Avoid direct sun, especially mid-day. These
plants evolved in rainforest understory - think "dappled light under
trees."
Water:
Keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Let the top inch dry before
watering. They hate wet feet.
Humidity:
These are tropicals - they'll do fine in 50-60% humidity, but thrive at
70%+. Use pebble trays or place near other plants. Bathrooms with windows work
great.
Soil:
Use an airy mix: orchid bark + perlite + peat or coco coir. Drainage is
key. Never use plain potting soil.
Fertilizer:
Feed with SUNSHINE Robusta every 2–4 weeks during warm seasons. It's
formulated for aroids and won't burn roots.
Potting:
Use shallow, wide containers. Repot only every 2–3 years, or when
roots crowd the pot. They don't like frequent disruption.
Temperature:
Ideal: 65–85 F. Short dips to the 30s F are tolerated by mature
plants, but avoid cold drafts.
Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer
James Coconuts and Bob introducing Five best fruit trees
🌳 Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer
☀️ Summer might be scorching, but it’s actually a great time to plant fruit trees that love the heat. If you've got sunshine and a little space, these five tropical picks will reward you with fresh, homegrown fruit - some you’ll never find in a store!
1. Mango - the King of all fruit, a must have in every garden. Fiberlress varieties only! You can't buy those in the store.
2. Avocado - a must have super-fruit in everyone's diet, grow your own!
3.🐲 Dragon fruit - heat tolerant easy plant with low water needs, sweet fruit-bearing cactus
4. 🍉 Guava - by far the most flavorful tropical fruit, great for Summer drinks
5. 🍐 Black Sapote - fast growing, heat- and flood-tolerant, fruit tastes like chocolate pudding
🐉 New video:
Quick Guide - How to grow DragonFruit from a cutting
Step by step guide:
1. Use a 6-10 inch long stem cutting from a mature dragon fruit
plant. Let the cut end dry in the shade for 2-5 days so it forms a callus.
This also helps prevent rot and fungus.
3. Plant the cutting. Stick the callused end about 2-3 inches
deep into the soil. Make sure it's planted upright (the way it grew on the
parent plant).
4. Support it. Add a trellis or post. Dragon fruit is a climbing
cactus and needs something to grow on.
5. Water lightly. Water once after planting, then wait until the
soil dries before watering again. Overwatering can rot the cutting.
6. Give it light and warmth. Place in bright, indirect sunlight
while it roots. Once established, it can handle full sun. Watch it grow! Roots
usually form in 2-4 weeks. New growth means it's taking off! This is the
time to
Ferilize it!
Yes, it's absolutely FREE - because we love you. This month only,
get a FREE Dragon Fruit cutting with every plant purchase over $50
(excluding seeds and garden supplies).
Available varieties - the most popular cultivars: Palora (yellow,
the sweetest), or Seouls Kitchen
(red-and-white)
you may note your preference in order comments.
These large, cured cuttings are ready to plant, and we've got this quick 30-sec video to
show you how. No replacements. One cutting per order. We cannot guarantee
variety due to limited supplies. Supplies are limited, so don't wait!
How to grow Dragon Fruit from a cutting - Quick Guide. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
How to grow DragonFruit from a cutting - Quick Guide
Dragon fruit, Pitaya - Hylocereus sp.
🌵 How to grow DragonFruit from a cutting - Quick Guide
🐉 Get a healthy cutting
Use a 6-10 inch long stem cutting from a mature dragon fruit plant. Let the cut end dry in the shade for 2-5 days so it forms a callus. This also helps prevent rot and fungus.
Why every collector wants the Gothic Black Dragon Anthurium. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Why every collector wants the Gothic Black Dragon Anthurium
Black Dragon Anthurium
🐉 Why every collector wants the Gothic Black Dragon Anthurium
🌑 A living shadow
Anthurium Black Dragon is one of the most prized centerpieces of the Top Tropicals plant collection. This rare and exotic hybrid is celebrated for its deep, dark foliage that looks as if it were painted with charcoal or ink. It belongs to the coveted "dark foliage" group of anthuriums - a favorite among collectors for its dramatic, gothic elegance.
This plant changes color like magic! What sets Black Dragon apart is its ability to transform. In bright filtered light, the leaves darken dramatically - almost jet black. But in lower light, they fade to a mysterious greenish-maroon. It's like having two plants in one, depending on how you position it.
Unlike many anthuriums that flaunt bright reds or whites, Black Dragon keeps it sleek and sinister with a brown spadix and dark-brown spathe - adding a sense of surreal drama when it flowers. But wait to see the real show when is sets fruit - cascades of bright red berries!
Though exotic-looking, it's surprisingly resilient. With the right humidity and warmth (typical of most anthuriums), it's a slow but steady grower - ideal for collectors who want something dramatic yet manageable indoors.
Black Dragon is likely a man-made hybrid created by crossbreeding dark-leaved species like Anthurium watermaliense or Anthurium forgetii. It doesn’t grow in the wild, which makes it even more of a sought-after trophy in aroids circles.
How to grow Dragon Fruit. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
How to grow DragonFruit
🐉 How to grow DragonFruit
🌵Selenicereus megalanthus - Yellow Pitaya, Dragon Fruit Palora, is the best tasting Dragon Fruit in the world that is not only sweet, it has a great flavor (unlike most pitayas that are pretty watery).
🌵This particular species of Dragon fruit doesn't mind regular water and rains but is also drought-tolerant. Watch a short video how to grow it:
Anthurium Black 
Anthurium hookeri – Giant Bird's
Nest
Anthurium vittarifolium – Long
Leaf Anthurium
