Description

Valdivia Roja

Valdivia Roja Dragon Fruit variety comes from the genus Hylocereus and species ocamponis. This variety originates from Jalisco State in Mexico and adapts well to most new conditions. DNA test results show it is closely related but not the same as another Mexican Dragon Fruit or Pitaya called El Grullo. Spicy Exotics also considers Valdivia Roja and Thomson Number 7 to be the same. This variety was acquired from a tropical nursery in California. This dragon fruit is excellent when eaten fresh, in jams, as a garnish, or as juice in drinks. Check out our Pinterest page for other great uses of this variety.

Growth

Groth of this variety has girthy stems with three-sided growth and a heavy grayish-white wax coating. The thorns on the stems are medium in size, but as the plant matures, the spins tend to fall off and not reappear. Due to the heavy waxy stems, it can tolerate heat and cold quite well; however, its slow growth lacks a perfect score.

Flower

Flowers are large 15″ night-bloomers with a pleasant fragrance. The flowers are white with red and yellow calyx (outer petals), making them attractive. The flower buds are equally impressive as its flowers. In Louisiana, flower bud emerging to flower opening took 21 days.

Fruit

The fruit of Valdivia Roja is oval, orangish red, with small green fins. Once the flower is pollinated in Louisiana, the fruit is ready to harvest 32 days later. The fruit has a nice sweetness with an average Brix rating of 18. In fact, our first fruit tested with a Brix score of 21. Due to the extra firm flesh, we sifted the flesh and tested 100% juice. This juice tested at 15.5. We found the fruit to have a nice sweetness, and the rating should have been higher.