Dragon Fruit – Sugar Dragon

Pitaya Sugar Dragon (Hylocereus guatemalensis) is one of the most valued small-fruited varieties, known for extremely sweet taste, very rich aromas and extremely high fertility. The variety is a selection by legendary breeder Paul Thomson, where it was labeled as #8-S, before it got its commercial name Sugar Dragon.

The plant has strong but slightly thinner three-sided shoots, which are very lush and fast growing. The thorns are short, sharp, but rarer than many other red varieties. It grows vigorously and blooms reliably even in less than ideal conditions. The flowers are large, white and bloom at night.

The fruits are smaller, usually 80–150g, but extremely decorative: the shell is intense red, with long, pointed scales that give the fruit a distinctive “dragon” appearance. The flesh is dark purple-red, very juicy, with high levels of natural pigments and an extremely sweet taste – sometimes reaching over Brix 20. The aroma is intense, fruity, with notes of berries, grapes and a slight floral sweetness.