Hylocereus undatus - Pitahaya

Description and Uses

Hylocereus undatus (Pitahaya) is a tropical cactus from Mexico . It is mainly grown for its fruit crops , which have a no shelf life. The crop is harvested by hand picking. It starts flowering after 0 - 0 years. The yield will be 5-15kg/plant/y, but in its top season there will be a yield of 10-30kg/plant/y. Other crop types include; ornamental, fruit, . The {missing data} is used as delicacy . The fruit is used as " anti-inflammatory, " with {missing data} (0% - 0%) as its significant phytochemical. There is Pitahaya seed oil extracted by steam distillation from the cactus's seed/nut yielding 18.80% - 27.50% oil. The cactus's wood is called inapplicable and has a density of 400 - 600 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the cactus's growing speed is medium, it's energetic value is 4000 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is slow. After 12 years the cactus can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Hylocereus undatus has a lifespan of 15 years.

Environmental limitations

The cactus is 9 meters tall with a crown of 1 meters wide. The cactus prefers a planting distance of 300 cm and a row distance of 600 cm. It is fast growing and shade tolerant. Hylocereus undatus has a shallow root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the fungi (endo-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen with "any bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s) "not applicable ". The cactus's flower-morphology is hermaphroditic and is pollinated by bats. Hylocereus undatus is evergreen and not allelopathic and has thorns.

Hylocereus undatus thrives in an altitude of 50 to 1700 meters above sea-level (tropical). The minimum temperature is -2°C; optimally between 20 - 30°C. The optimal rainfall is 1500 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 500 - 2000mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 6.0 - 7.0 in a soil texture of sand. To salt it is a bit tolerant to wind {missing data} and to fire {missing data}.

Pests and Diseases

Hylocereus undatus is susceptible to the following pests: . And it's susceptible to the following diseases: (missing data) , , .

Seed Propagation

Seeds are orthodox and can be stored for 15 months. There are approximative 0 seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed: {missing data}