Description

Capistrano Valley

Capistrano Valley Dragon Fruit variety comes from the genus Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus guatemalensis hybrid. The Hylocereus guatemalensis hybrid used was the Delight variety. Spicy Exotics collected this variety from a tropical grower in California.

Growth

The plant of Capistrano Valley is typical of undatus growth in size and shape. The stems are segmented with meaty three-sided stems that are bright green with small thorns. Segments can get long with large woody stems to support the heavy flesh.

Flowers

The flowers of the Capistrano Valley variety are self-fertile and are typical of undatus species. Spicy Exotics hand-pollinated for the first flower cycle, and we suggest this for all types to ensure fruit. This variety is considered a universal pollinator as its pollen can pollinate just about any variety of Dragon Fruit. The flowers are largest when fully open a few hours after sunset and close a couple of hours after sunrise. The bloom period, like most undatus varieties, is Summer and Fall. So don’t count on this pollen for those early bloomers.

Fruits

Fruits ripen like typical undatus species in 32 days. The fruit has a bright pink exterior with green fins. The flesh is white with lots of small crunchy seeds. Fruit weighed between three quarters to one and a half pounds. From a flavor description, it’s similar to undatus and not to the Delight variety. We do find Capistrano Valley to be better than most undatus species with sweetness and acidity. Third-year fruit was our best yet, reaching an average brix of 17 brix, which is exceptional for white flesh varieties.