Ohana Express – S. megalanthus X

Description

Ohana Express

Ohana Express is a very rare hybrid from the genus Selenicereus and the species megalanthus along with some other unknown species. This variety is a seedling grown from the Desert King variety. Desert King is a hybrid developed in Israel for commercial use.  Propagated in Hawaii, this is where Ohana Express gets its name. Growth is three-sided and, in appearance, is very similar to Yellow Dragon but thicker. Spicy Exotics collected this Dragon Fruit variety from a grower in Hawaii.

Like many Selenicereus species, this variety is nocturnal blooming with very fragrant blooms. Our first flowers occurred ten months after planting cuttings making Ohana Express the fasted cutting to flower Spicy Exotics has seen yet. Flowers are medium to large-sized with minimal self-fertile pollen.  Flower buds to flowers took 21 days.  The flowers are white and yellow with yellow and deep red back petals when fully opened.

Fruits from Ohana Express were small in our first year in Louisiana, but well worth it. Our first fruits were tiny compared to year two fruit grown in Hawaii seen here. We expect better, more abundant fruit in year two once the plant matures. The exterior skin is red with tiny green-tipped fins. Thorns occur at the base of the fruit that can be brushed off easily before picking. Flower to fruit took 90 days to harvest with an average brix rating of 17.5. The fruit we tasted was one of the best Dragon Fruits ever. They were not too sweet but had a tangy berry flavor that lingered in your mouth wanting more.