My dragonfruit fowers but doesn't set fruit (forum)

Mariem starts with ...
My dragonfruit plants flower profusely. I see bees pollinating them. But it is NOT producing the fruit. What could be the cause? Thanks! Mariem

Time: 20th October 2014 11:35am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (1) | Report
People who Like this Question Mariem
About the Author Mariem
Hylocerous
#UserID: 10685
Posts: 3
View All Mariem's Edible Fruit Trees

JohnMc1 says...
Do you know what variety it is? You might be unlucky enough to have a variety that needs a pollinator.

Time: 20th October 2014 4:43pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author JohnMc1
Warnervale NSW
#UserID: 2743
Posts: 2043
View All JohnMc1's Edible Fruit Trees

sternus1 says...
All dragon fruit benefit from cross pollination. No one variety should ever be planted out by itself on one tellis. Two is the minimum.

Hand pollination will increase fruit set and size. Buy another variety-- Colombian red if you can get it, and plant this out next to the one you have.


Time: 20th October 2014 7:21pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(1) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
People who Like this Answer: Mariem

About the Author sternus1
Australia
#UserID: 8314
Posts: 1318
View All sternus1's Edible Fruit Trees

JohnMc1 says...
Until recently, I've only had the Vietnamese variety which self pollinated turning out very large sweet fruit. I was happy with the yield and flavour, probably why I didn't go chasing other varieties at the time.

Time: 20th October 2014 9:31pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author JohnMc1
Warnervale NSW
#UserID: 2743
Posts: 2043
View All JohnMc1's Edible Fruit Trees

Anthony says...
If you can get your hands on a Vietnamese White dragonfruit, your pollination problems will be over. This variety, along with the Columbian, will pollinate any variety with great success. It is a must have for pollen production.

Time: 20th October 2014 10:49pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(1) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
People who Like this Answer: Mariem
About the Author Anthony
Queensland
#UserID: 9188
Posts: 92
View All Anthony's Edible Fruit Trees

Mike Tr says...
There seems to be degrees of self-fertility and success with hand cross pollination between varieties.Some types give poor yields even with hand pollination and others pump out the fruit without you doing anything.In this climate only a couple of the Californian hybrids are self-fertile and yield well when left to their own devices (eg American Beauty).Others produce little regardlessof what you do.

Time: 21st October 2014 7:51am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Mike Tr
Cairns
#UserID: 8322
Posts: 614
View All Mike Tr's Edible Fruit Trees

JohnMc1 says...
Interesting times ahead, I've been offered some exotic cv's in the past few years, will probably hand pollinate half of each when the time comes to see what needs pollination and what doesn't for future reference.


Time: 21st October 2014 4:25pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author JohnMc1
Warnervale NSW
#UserID: 2743
Posts: 2043
View All JohnMc1's Edible Fruit Trees

sternus1 says...
Makisupa is reportedly a good pollinator also. Viet White is the heaviest yielding and most reliable type I've experienced. The fruit is not much to speak of but this is true of all whites really, though David Bowie is reportedly a good white variety. I only collect reds , purples and Megas.

Time: 21st October 2014 7:12pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author sternus1
Australia
#UserID: 8314
Posts: 1318
View All sternus1's Edible Fruit Trees

Mariem says...
Hi friends JohnMc1, Sternus1, Mike Tr, and Anthony who have contributed to assist me. I live in Puerto Rico, an island in the Caribbean, zone 9. Five years ago I bought an hylocereous undatus red with white flesh which in its second year set two fruits. Also I got a yellow selecinerous megalanthus which also set two fruits. Since then they have flowered a lot but although I have tried hand pollination NO fruits have been set at all. My other plants are indeed growing but are still too young and have not flowered yet. From what I get from all of you I will add some different varieties in each trellis, i.e. Vietnamese white, David Bowie, Colombian red, Makisupasa and given time see what happens. Now I will have homework searching online for these varieties from a source willing to send this to me. I am willing to pay whatever it takes. Any new comment? Thanks! Mariem
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 24th October 2014 10:09am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Mariem
Hylocerous
#UserID: 10685
Posts: 3
View All Mariem's Edible Fruit Trees

Anthony says...
Hi Mariem. Google Mattslandscape and check out his selections. Plenty to choose from and will certainly ship you anything you need.

Time: 24th October 2014 10:51am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(1) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
People who Like this Answer: Mariem
About the Author Anthony
Queensland
#UserID: 9188
Posts: 92
View All Anthony's Edible Fruit Trees

Mariem says...
Thanks so much, Anthony. Appreciate your relply! Mariem

Time: 30th October 2014 9:29am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Mariem
Hylocerous
#UserID: 10685
Posts: 3
View All Mariem's Edible Fruit Trees

nicg says...
Hi Guys, i would like to share my experience. I live in Perth. Four years ago i bought a cutting and the person did not know what variety it was, as he had brought them here from Queensland, and all his tags were mixed up.I planted the cutting , grew beautifully and 2 years later, produced 5 flowers, but no fruit set. Last year i waited till almost midnight for the flower to fully open and tried to hand polinate, But there was No pollen on the male bit, so again no fruit.
This year i waited till the flower was half open and did the hand polinting trick and there was POLLEN, 12 fruit have set, waiting to see what variety they are and will report back.
Ps 2 flowers were about to open at 5 pm,
so i pulled them open and within 5 mins
bees everywhere and that prob helped, as it was still daylight.
Excuse punctuation.
Cheers
Nick

Time: 16th February 2016 4:31pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
Original Post was last edited: 16th February 2016 4:33pm
About the Author nicg
gwelup
#UserID: 10967
Posts: 11
View All nicg's Edible Fruit Trees

S t a r l i n g says...
do you mean there was no pollen on the stigma?

Anyway, there's really only three factors that will result in fruit not setting:

A) lack of successful pollination
B) Too much water during flowering
C) Excessive heat during flowering.

Generally, the cause for flower drop is A, but in your case, your problem is also that you have only planted out one variety. You really need another to get a decent rate of fruit set. Do not water excessively while fruit are developing or during flowering at all.

Time: 18th February 2016 4:20pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author S t a r l i n g
Private
#UserID: 12856
Posts: 16
View All S t a r l i n g's Edible Fruit Trees

nicg says...
Hi Starling,
Thanks for your comment.
I have a self pollinating red white flesh one only half a meter away, but that one flowers at least a month before.
Anyway at the moment i am happy, 12 fruit have set, and an keen to find out what variety it is.

Time: 19th February 2016 6:36pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author nicg
gwelup
#UserID: 10967
Posts: 11
View All nicg's Edible Fruit Trees

MIke T1 says...
I ditched all those needing x pollination and now have handsome crops from many varieties including hybrids.No,white for me,only a token yellow and the only red is Colombian.Aztec gem,H.occamponis,Oscars orange and few others are good enough for me.My friends condors were very good this season as wee a few other Californian hybrids.What is self pollinating,won't set due to heat or rain is probably different in different climes. Humidity is a big thing and a 37c with 1000% humidity is different from a 40c in Briz with low humidity.

Time: 21st February 2016 12:47pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author MIke T1
cairns
#UserID: 10744
Posts: 250
View All MIke T1's Edible Fruit Trees

S t a r l i n g says...
My zamorano fruited this year. Terrible. Absolutely beautiful looking, very, very weird flavor. Hard to describe. Something like pepper and pot glue mixed in a shoe that has been soaked in urine for several days.

Time: 22nd February 2016 11:54pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author S t a r l i n g
Private
#UserID: 12856
Posts: 16
View All S t a r l i n g's Edible Fruit Trees

S t a r l i n g says...
Excessive water during flower anthesis will cause them to drop.

All fruit will be considerably larger, and better quality, if cross pollinated. You want to hit them with a low nitrogen fertilizer every six months or so, 2-10-10 is generally what the pros use. Phosphorous and calcium treatments are very effective also. Too much nitrogen and you'll get a huge vine that doesn't produce. Bone meal is about the best thing you can mix in to the soil for dragons. Cow manure is good, but fowl manure is probably better if applied at the right time in the right amount as this is similar to bird guano (well, it is bird guano but you know what I mean
) which is their natural nitrogen source if you're talking about H. Costaricensis/polyrhizus/undatus/ occamponis/guatemalensis. Selenicereus hybrids require less nitrogen, less light, and more calcium. And less water. They are not as good IMO.

Time: 23rd February 2016 12:18am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
Original Post was last edited: 23rd February 2016 12:36am
About the Author S t a r l i n g
Private
#UserID: 12856
Posts: 16
View All S t a r l i n g's Edible Fruit Trees