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Hylocereus costaricensis 'Kip's Red' (Red Pitaya, Red Dragonfruit) - A climbing cacti that requires some form of support, has aerial roots, and can climb to 30 feet or more with 1- to 2-inch-thick three-sided stems that are notched and have a few spines along the ribs. This plant grows more like a tropical vine. From late spring into fall appear the fragrant large (10-12 inches long) white bell-shaped flowers that appear at dusk and last for only one night. From these flowers come the large oval-shaped fruit that can weigh as much as a pound and have a tough pink skin of overlapping scales with an interior of a dark purplish magenta-pink flesh holding many edible tiny seeds.
Plant in a well-drained soil in full coastal sun but protected inland. Irrigate only a small amount (shallowly) but regularly in summer, including areas where aerial roots may be attached. This plant requires a near frost free climate to perpetuate, flower and fruit so it is not for everyone, but successful fruiting has been achieved in warm locations here in the Santa Barbara area and further to the south. This is a different variety from the white fleshed Hylocereus undatus that we also grow and have come to believe it a cultivar of Hylocereus costaricensis (Often listed as H. polyrhizus). To ensure fruiting it is advised that the flowers be hand pollinated in the evening since the natural pollinators are lacking in California but like Hylocereus undatus, this plant produces some fruit without hand pollination, but likely these efforts would be rewarded.
Hylocereus costaricensis as the name implies is native to Costa Rica and ranges through Nicaragua south as far as Peru while Hylocereus undatus is thought to have originated from the tropical rainforests of Central and northern South America, but it native range in unknown since being spread worldwide for its fruit and ornamental plant. The fruit of both varieties is delicious and nutritious as it is rich with antioxidants, dietary fiber and a large amount of vitamin C. One can chill the ripe fruit, remove the skin and cut it into bite-sized pieces and serve it as a dessert or add it to blended fruit drinks or salads. This plant is often named for its fruit and called Red Dragonfruit, Red Pitaya (or Pitahaya) Fruit or Strawberry Pear and also by the names Belle of the Night and Conderella Plant. Our stock plant came from Kip Omweg of Trio Nursery in Carpinteria, California. Kip noted that he was given a cutting of this plant in 1996 by Jenny Saragosa of Carpinteria CA who had been growing it in her garden for many years after collecting in travels into Central and South America. The images on our website are from Trio Nursery.
The information displayed on this page about Hylocereus costaricensis 'Kip's Red' is based on the research we conducted about it in our nursery horticultural library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include some of our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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