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WRA Species Report Family: Cactaceae Taxon: Hylocereus undatus Synonym: Cereus undatus Haw. Common Name: belle of the night dragon fruit moonlight cactus night-blooming cereus queen of the night red pitaya strawberry pear Questionaire : current 20090513 Assessor: Assessor Designation: Status: In Progress Data Entry Person: Assessor WRA Score 9 101 Is the species highly domesticated? y=-3, n=0 n 102 Has the species become naturalized where grown? y=1, n=-1 103 Does the species have weedy races? y=1, n=-1 201 Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) - If island is primarily wet habitat, then (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2- High substitute "wet tropical" for "tropical or subtropical" high) (See Appendix 2) 202 Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2- High high) (See Appendix 2) 203 Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility) y=1, n=0 y 204 Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates y=1, n=0 y 205 Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2, ?=-1, n=0 y 301 Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see y Appendix 2), n= question 205 302 Garden/amenity/disturbance weed n=0, y = 1*multiplier (see Appendix 2) 303 Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed n=0, y = 2*multiplier (see n Appendix 2) 304 Environmental weed n=0, y = 2*multiplier (see y Appendix 2) 305 Congeneric weed n=0, y = 1*multiplier (see Appendix 2) 401 Produces spines, thorns or burrs y=1, n=0 y 402 Allelopathic y=1, n=0 403 Parasitic y=1, n=0 n 404 Unpalatable to grazing animals y=1, n=-1 n 405 Toxic to animals y=1, n=0 n 406 Host for recognized pests and pathogens y=1, n=0 n 407 Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans y=1, n=0 n 408 Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems y=1, n=0 n Print Date: 12/1/2013 Hylocereus undatus (Cactaceae) Page 1 of 7 409 Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle y=1, n=0 y 410 Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island) y=1, n=0 y 411 Climbing or smothering growth habit y=1, n=0 y 412 Forms dense thickets y=1, n=0 n 501 Aquatic y=5, n=0 n 502 Grass y=1, n=0 n 503 Nitrogen fixing woody plant y=1, n=0 n 504 Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers) y=1, n=0 n 601 Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat y=1, n=0 n 602 Produces viable seed y=1, n=-1 603 Hybridizes naturally y=1, n=-1 604 Self-compatible or apomictic y=1, n=-1 605 Requires specialist pollinators y=-1, n=0 y 606 Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation y=1, n=-1 y 607 Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, >3 4+ years = -1 701 Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked y=1, n=-1 areas) 702 Propagules dispersed intentionally by people y=1, n=-1 y 703 Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant y=1, n=-1 n 704 Propagules adapted to wind dispersal y=1, n=-1 n 705 Propagules water dispersed y=1, n=-1 n 706 Propagules bird dispersed y=1, n=-1 y 707 Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally) y=1, n=-1 n 708 Propagules survive passage through the gut y=1, n=-1 y 801 Prolific seed production (>1000/m2) y=1, n=-1 n 802 Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr) y=1, n=-1 803 Well controlled by herbicides y=-1, n=1 y 804 Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire y=1, n=-1 y 805 Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents) y=-1, n=1 n Designation: WRA Score 9 Print Date: 12/1/2013 Hylocereus undatus (Cactaceae) Page 2 of 7 Supporting Data: 101 1999. Wagner, W.L./Herbst, D.R./Sohmer, S.H.. [Is the species highly domesticated? No. Assessment is of wild type introduced to Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised the Hawaiian Islands] edition.. University of Hawai‘i Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI. 102 2013. WRA Specialist. Personal Communication. NA 103 2013. WRA Specialist. Personal Communication. NA 201 2008. Janick, J./Paull, R.E.. The Encyclopedia of [Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) 2-High] "…native to tropical Fruit & Nuts. Cabi Publishing, Wallingford, UK regions of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America." 201 2012. Lim, T.K.. Edible Medicinal and Non- [Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) 2-High] "Hylocereus species is Medicinal Plants. Volume 1, Fruits. Springer, New endemic to Latin America. Exact origin of dragon fruit is not known but is believed York to be in the area from southern Mexico, the Pacific side of Guatemala and Costa Rica, and El Salvador." 202 2008. Janick, J./Paull, R.E.. The Encyclopedia of [Quality of climate match data 2-High] Fruit & Nuts. Cabi Publishing, Wallingford, UK 203 2012. Lim, T.K.. Edible Medicinal and Non- [Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)? Yes] "It has a wide range of Medicinal Plants. Volume 1, Fruits. Springer, New agroecological adaptability. This cactus is able to tolerate drought, heat, poor soil, York and cold. The modification of the stem for water storage, the reduction or absence of leaves, the waxy surfaces, and night-time opening of the tissues for carbon dioxide uptake (the CAM process), enable the plants to tolerate harsh conditions." 204 2008. Janick, J./Paull, R.E.. The Encyclopedia of [Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates? Yes] Fruit & Nuts. Cabi Publishing, Wallingford, UK "…native to tropical regions of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America." 205 1999. Wagner, W.L./Herbst, D.R./Sohmer, S.H.. [Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised range? Yes] "Native to Central America, but extensively cultivated for its flowers edition.. University of Hawai‘i Press and Bishop and fruit throughout the New and Old World tropics." Museum Press, Honolulu, HI. 301 1999. Wagner, W.L./Herbst, D.R./Sohmer, S.H.. [Naturalized beyond native range? Yes] "In Hawai'i widely cultivated on all of the Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised main islands, rarely setting fruit, but spreading, often extensively, vegetatively" edition.. University of Hawai‘i Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI. 301 2010. Wu, S.-H./Yang, T.Y.A./Teng, Y.-C./Chang, [Naturalized beyond native range? Yes] "Appendix 1. List of naturalized species of C.-Y./Yang, K.-C./Hsieh, C.-F.. Insights of the Taiwan" [Includes Hylocereus undatus] Latest Naturalized Flora of Taiwan: Change in the Past Eight Years. Taiwania. 55(2): 139-159. 301 2012. Lim, T.K.. Edible Medicinal and Non- [Naturalized beyond native range? Yes] "It is commonly cultivated and naturalized Medicinal Plants. Volume 1, Fruits. Springer, New throughout tropical American lowlands, the West Indies, the Bahamas, Bermuda, York southern Florida and the tropics of the Old World. It has been widely introduced and escaped in tropical Asia, Australia, and South America." 301 2013. Queensland Government. Weeds of [Naturalized beyond native range? Yes] "This species is becoming widely Australia - Night-blooming cactus - Hylocereus naturalised in eastern Australia. It has been recorded in south-eastern and central undatus. Queensland and in the coastal districts of northern New South Wales. Also http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030 naturalised overseas in La R union, Hawaii, New Caledonia, Niue and south 800-0b07-490a-8d04- eastern USA (i.e. Florida)." 0605030c0f01/media/Html/Hylocereus_undatus.ht m [Accessed 29 Nov 2013] 302 2013. Dave's Garden. PlantFiles: Red Pitaya, [Garden/amenity/disturbance weed? A potential landscaping/maintenance Dragon Fruit,Strawberry Pear, Night blooming nuisance] "This plant gets so unbelievably huge that it can be annoying." Cereus, Queen of the Night, Honolulu Queen - [Comment from a grower in Greece] Hylocereus undatus. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54131/ [Accessed 29 Nov 2013] 303 2012. Randall, R.P.. A Global Compendium of [Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed? No] No evidence Weeds. 2nd Edition. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 304 2001. Langeland, K.A./Stocker, R.K.. Control of [Environmental weed? Controlled as a nuisance weed of natural areas with Non-native Plants in Natural Areas of Florida. SP potential environmental impacts] "Hand pull and remove from site if possible; if 242. Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences, removal is not feasible, lay the plants out on a plastic tarp and spray them with University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 10% Garlon 4; 15% Roundup has been successful but it takes much longer for the http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/ldspmgt/Ldsp%20Turf%20 plants to die." Mgmt/PDFfiles/WG20900.p Print Date: 12/1/2013 Hylocereus undatus (Cactaceae) Page 3 of 7 304 2003. Erskine, A.. Vegetation Management Plan [Environmental weed? Yes] "It is semi-epiphytic and xerophytic and can survive in East Ballina Crown Reserve. Wetland Care the canopy after the main root had been severed. The weight of this plant can Australia, Ballina NSW cause serious damage to rainforest trees by breaking limbs." 304 2013. Queensland Government. Weeds of [Environmental weed? Yes] "Night-blooming cactus (Hylocereus undatus) is Australia - Night-blooming cactus - Hylocereus regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and New South Wales.
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