Description
Pitaya (scientific name: Hylocereus undatus'Foo-Lon') is a cultivar of Cactaceae, the genus Hylocereus, climbing succulent shrubs, with aerial roots. Branches are numerous, extending, leaf edges are often winged, edges are wavy or crenellated, dark green to light blue-green, bony; flowers funnel-shaped, open at night; scales ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, calyx-shaped Tepals are yellow-green, linear to linear-lanceolate, petal-like tepals are white, oblong oblanceolate, filaments are yellow and white, styles are yellow and white, berry red, long globose, small umbilicus, flesh white, red . The seeds are obovate, black, with small hilum. Flowers and fruits from July to December.
It is distributed from Central America to the northern part of South America, and is widely cultivated all over the world. It uses aerial roots to climb on tree trunks, rocks or walls. The altitude is 3-300 meters.
The branch cuttings of this species are easy to survive, and are often used as rootstocks for grafting Schlumbergera, Cactus spp., and various prickly pears. Flowers can be used as vegetables and berries are edible. The trade name is "Pitaya".
