Here are the pictures
I am thinking it must be the harsh sunlight here
I thought outside would make it grow better but looking at it now I feel it might be better off inside

Here is a link that might be useful:

It is of the main stem I am training

Here is a link that might be useful:

Do you know what variety of dragon fruit you have? I have never seen any with such long thorns. I'm not sure if thats from the sun or not. I had some in the direct sunlight this past summer and they yellowed completely, not in tiny spots, but thats just my experience Maybe some one with more knowledge can help you out.

I've seen this before, but have no idea what causes it....but I am pretty sure it is not sunburn. So far, I have just ignored it and the plants have not really been affected. they still flower and fruit. I wonder if this is a form of cacti chlorosis evidencing some mineral difficiency.

Harry

Its not sunburn, my dragon fruit occasionally get the orange spots. I talked to Edgar Valdivia briefly about it at greenscene last year, he told me it was caused by lack of humidity.

I can't imagine that lack of humidity is the cause....with all due respect to Mr. Valdivia (who certainly has more knowledge about dragonfruit than I would ever hope to acquire). There is no shortage of humidity at my house where these spots have appeared, I can assure you. My bet is that it is fungal or nutritional or both. That's my two cents for what is worth.

Harry

May be California and arid climate specific. Because I do indeed notice the orange spots appearing, when the humidity drops and the Santa Ana winds kick in. Must be a variety of reasons why the orange spots appear.

I still think it could be the sun, the parts of the plant that are facing the sunlight at a more direct angle seem to be affected the most, the sun over here is particularly harsh
and it only has appeared in the last week or two it has been outside
my poor plant it has been through so much to get to this size I cant lose it now!

I don't believe that's sunburn spots. I've severely dehydrated my plants out of neglect prior to putting them in full sun. Yes they got burnt but burn marks were much much bigger, not spotty like yours. Bounced back to full health eventually.

Your dragon fruit is a seedling plant, is that correct? That's why all the long and tiny thorns?

Tim

yes seedling grown plant, they are not grown commercially here
so I had to grow it from seed, it is over four years old but never gets very big because I keep needing to move the plant to a new pot or city and it never gets big enough in the times in between!

con0r,

Has the dragon fruit, fruited for you?

Regarding the long thorns...
I have the "pink" dragon fruit from La Verne Nursery (no idea what cultivar), and it has identical long thorns.

No it has never got the chance to fruit because it had always been in smaller pots, but now it is a cutting of my original plant and in a much larger tub I have high hopes.
I feel it may be another year or two away for it to gain enough size

I think La Verne only sell seedling dragon fruits. This is just my observation but from what I've seen in department stores to nurseries selling La Verne plants, they're all seedlings. The plant will eventually outgrow those tiny baby thorns. Does anyone know of otherwise?

Tim

esco_socal

I doubt that is the case because dragon fruit is far easier to propagate from cuttings than from seed, and they are in the "propagation" business.

...on a side note, they have 3 varieties - white fleshed, pink fleshed, and red fleshed.

Well that's just my exact point. Everything they propagate are labeled with var name. From cherimoyas to mangos to figs and whatever else they sell, if grafted or direct cuttings (like Figs & Dragon fruits), they'd have its specific cultivar name. Why do you think they only say WHITE, PINK & RED flesh dragon fruit instead?

Tim

Can you tell me what happened to your Dragon Fruit that had the orange spots beacuse in South Africa we are experiencing the same problem, and can you tell me if you identified what your problem was eventually.

If anyone can advise me from your experience, i will appreciate it.

Try doing a google search on Botryosphaeria dothidea (Fish eye) ...a fungal disease I also am plagued with.

I only water the soil. I never water the plant. It reduces the spread of Botryosphaeria Dothidea. It plague 90% of my dragon fruit trees and I had to cut and throw them away. Now the infection is down to 5%.

When you see the new growth very light green, then you need to fertilize it. The dragon fruit becomes susceptible to diseases due to malnutrition. It can't fight off the diseases.

Thanks Tony

Thanks Mike