Selenicereus megalanthus
Selenicereus megalanthus · Cactaceae
📷 Flocci Nivis · CC BY 4.0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around selenicereus megalanthus and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Common name
- Yellow dragon flower cactus, Yellow pitahaya
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Type
- Climbing succulent cactus
- Adult size
- Up to 10 m long in natural habitat
- Growth
- Fast to moderate
- Flowering
- June to August, fragrant white flowers opening at night
- Hardiness
- Frost-tender (10-12 °C minimum)
- Origin
- Central and South America (Ecuador, Colombia, Peru)
Care
Watering
Water regularly during the growing season (spring-summer), allowing the substrate to dry out slightly between waterings. Reduce watering drastically in fall-winter. Avoid stagnant water, which promotes root rot. Use non-chalky water if possible.
Light and exposure
Place it in full sun or very bright light to encourage flowering. It tolerates partial shade but will produce fewer flowers. If growing it indoors, keep it near a south or southwest-facing window with good light.
Substrate and repotting
Use cacti or succulent potting mix, mixed with perlite or pumice (30 to 50%) to ensure excellent drainage. Repot every 2-3 years in spring. Drainage is essential: avoid heavy soil or standard potting compost.
Fertilizing
Apply diluted cacti fertilizer about once a month between April and September. Prefer a formula low in nitrogen and rich in potassium and phosphorus. Stop completely in fall-winter. Over-fertilizing will weaken the plant.
Pruning and training
Pinch back the shoot tips in spring to encourage branching. This climbing plant needs support (stake, trellis) to develop properly. Remove any dead or damaged stems without hesitation.
Diseases and pests
Watch out for root rot if overwatered. Check for mealybugs or spider mites in dry or hot conditions. Immediately isolate any infected plant and treat using available biological methods.
Did you know?
Selenicereus megalanthus produces spectacular flowers that bloom exclusively at night and close at sunrise, earning it the nickname 'Queen of the Night'. The fruit, yellow pitahaya, is highly prized in tropical America for its sweet taste and exotic flavor, often compared to kiwi. This epiphytic plant naturally grows on trees in tropical forests, which explains its adaptation to conditions with less water saturation than other terrestrial cacti.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring, once all risk of frost has gone. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: from April to June.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
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Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.