🌱 Grow Your Own Exotic Frankie's Red Dragon Fruit at Home! 🌱
Frankie's Red Dragon Fruit is a unique variety celebrated for its vibrant red skin, deep red flesh, and exceptional sweetness. This non-rooted cutting, approximately 10-12 inches in length, is ideal for enthusiasts eager to cultivate this exotic fruit at home. With proper care, this cutting can develop into a thriving plant, offering both aesthetic appeal and delicious fruit.
Key Features & Benefits
- Premium Non-Rooted Cutting: Approximately 10-12 inches long, ready for propagation.
- Exotic Variety: Distinctive deep red flesh with a delightful sweet flavor.
- Compact Growth: While the plant can reach heights of 2-5 meters under optimal conditions, it can be pruned to maintain a manageable size, making it suitable for various garden spaces.
- Drought Tolerant: Once established, the plant requires minimal watering.
- Nutrient-Rich Superfruit: High in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber.
Plant Specifications
Feature | Details |
---|
Plant Name | Frankie's Red Dragon Fruit |
Scientific Name | Hylocereus guatemalensis x undatus |
Plant Type | Non-Rooted Cutting |
Cutting Length | Approximately 10-12 inches |
Fruit Color | Deep Red |
Skin Color | Vibrant Red |
Taste | Sweet & Juicy |
Sunlight Requirement | Full Sun |
Watering | Moderate (Avoid Overwatering) |
Soil Type | Well-Drained, Sandy-Loamy |
Growth Type | Climbing Cactus |
Ideal Planting Season | Spring & Summer |
Mature Plant Height | Can reach 2-5 meters; pruning helps maintain desired height. |
Growth & Characteristics
- Stem Structure: The plant features three-sided, olive-green stems with small spines along the edges. The cuttings are typically elongated and slender.
- Climate Sensitivity: This variety requires careful temperature management, as it is prone to damage from extreme heat and cold. Excess rainfall can also lead to rust, making it slightly challenging for beginners.
- Growth Rate: While the plant is relatively slow to establish from cuttings, it becomes a vigorous grower once rooted.
Flowering & Pollination
- Flower Appearance: The blooms are medium-sized with white inner petals and yellow-tinged outer petals, giving them a bell-like shape when fully opened.
- Blooming Cycle: Flowers open just after sunset and close by sunrise.
- Pollination: While the plant is self-fertile, hand pollination is recommended to increase fruit production.
Fruit Description
- Appearance: The fruit is similar in size and shape to the Yellow Dragon Fruit. As it ripens, it transitions from green to yellow and then orange.
- Flesh Color: When fully ripe, the inner flesh is deep red with white streaks in the center.
- Taste & Sweetness: This variety is known for its rich, sweet flavor, scoring an average of 21 on the Brix scale (a measure of sweetness).
- Harvesting: The fruit develops small thorns at its base, which naturally fall off as it ripens, making harvesting easier.
Growth & Cultivation Tips
- Cutting Size: 10-12 inches (non-rooted)
- Soil Requirement: Well-drained sandy-loamy soil
- Sunlight: Requires 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
- Watering: Moderate; avoid waterlogging
- Support Structure: Recommended for climbing growth
- Time to Fruit Production: Can take 12-24 months to bear fruit after planting
How to Grow Frankie's Red Dragon Fruit from a Cutting
- Prepare the Cutting: Allow the 10-12 inch cutting to dry for 3-5 days to prevent rot.
- Select Appropriate Soil: Opt for well-draining, sandy-loamy soil.
- Planting Depth: Insert the cutting about 2-3 inches deep into the soil.
- Watering: Lightly water to keep the soil slightly moist, avoiding waterlogging.
- Sunlight Exposure: Ensure the plant receives 6-8 hours of daily sunlight.
- Support Structure: Provide a trellis or stake to support the climbing growth.
- Fertilization: Apply a balanced organic fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.
Uses of Frankie's Red Dragon Fruit
- Fresh Consumption: Enjoy the sweet, juicy fruit directly.
- Culinary Applications: Ideal for smoothies, desserts, and salads.
- Ornamental Appeal: Enhances garden aesthetics with its unique appearance.
Why Choose Frankie's Red Dragon Fruit?
✅ Exotic and rare hybrid variety
✅ Exceptionally sweet fruit with high Brix rating
✅ Beautiful ornamental flowers
✅ Self-fertile but benefits from hand pollination
✅ Ideal for home gardens and fruit enthusiasts