Description

Selenicereus macdonaldiae

Selenicereus macdonaldiae is a vining cactus from the genus Selenicereus and the species macdonaldiae. Its native origin is Cuba, Honduras, and the east coast of Mexico. Spicy Exotics collected this variety from a tropical grower in California.

Growth

Stems are green and a half inch in diameter, and growth is usually five-sided, with spines along each side. Once mature, appearance becomes more cylindrical. At home, grower’s stem segments can get as large as five to six feet, but in the wild, they can get twice as long.

Flowers

Like many Selenicereus species, this variety is nocturnal blooming, with blooms staying open till late morning. Selenicereus macdonaldiae is typically fragrant, filling the nighttime air with a sweet scent. Flower buds are entirely covered with brown and white hairs. Flowers are ten inches wide with slender twelve-fourteen-inch floral tubes covered in long black hairs. We find this to be large, considering the size of the stems. The flowers, when open, are white and yellow with yellow and red back petals when fully opened.

Fruit

Fruits from Selenicereus macdonaldiae are reddish brown and covered in spines. The flesh inside is bright white with soft, crunchy seeds typical of other Selenicereus species. After tasting the fruit for the first time, the shocker was the complex flavor. Elements of tropical coconut and sweetness are what hits your taste buds first. This is followed by a mild earthiness, likely from the taste of the crunchy seeds. Fruit harvest time is 105 days from mid-June to late September. Fruits tested above 20 brix to support the sweet taste and weighed in at ten to twelve ounces.

This Dragon Fruit is excellent eaten fresh, in jams, as a garnish, or as juice in drinks. Check out our Pinterest page for other great uses of this variety.