Dragon fruit is a fascinating plant and many people, including me, like to grow it. They are fast-growing perennial plants. But does dragon fruit like full sunlight? Yes, dragon fruit grows in dry tropical climates naturally. So, when you cultivate these plants, you need to mimic the same conditions. They get their natural habitats through cultivation. Many people enjoy dragon fruit as well. Above all, these flowers are sweet scented anybody would love to have them
Dragon fruit is renowned for the numerous nutrients it contains. For example, they would comprise vitamin C , phosphorus , calcium fiber, and lastly, some antioxidants too. They are quite useful for lowering cholesterol and controlling diabetes too . In addition to that, it would minimize the potential of having asthma and arthritis as well.
So, this article contains information on the sunlight requirements of the dragon fruit plants . Furthermore, this article contains information on how to fulfill it when you grow it indoors as well as outdoors too. Moreover, we have covered the artificial lights that you can use for these plants too. So, let’s start to explore this subject.
does dragon fruit like full sunlight?
Dragon fruit would prefer to have full sunlight during the early hours of the day. To be more precise, they would ideally require full sunlight for about six hours, ideally in the morning hours. The rest of the day, they would grow under partial shade. Bear in mind that the exposure to intense sunlight for extended periods may burn the plants.
So, the best thing would be to protect the plants from intense sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. On another note, young dragon fruit plants are more prone to sunburns, and you need to refrain from exposing them to direct sunlight, not even for a short period.
Can dragon fruit grow in shade?
Dragon fruits can grow in shade, especially if the plant’s base is tolerant of shade. However, if you grow them exposed to shade all the time, it would not be beneficial for the flowering of the plants. On another note, the exposure to shade would not help the plants develop the tasteful fruit as well. It is crucial that dragon fruit plants get ample sunlight to produce the flowers as well as the fruits.
So, if you fail to supply sufficient sunlight levels, chances are that they will not grow to their best potential as the regular Dragon fruit plants do. So, the lack of sunlight exposure would make your plants less valuable and less impressive as well. Furthermore, it would badly affect the dragon fruit plant’s harvest too. Overall, I don’t recommend growing them in the shade all the time, except when the sunlight is too intense.
What kind of sun does dragon fruit need?
Dragon fruit would opt to grow in full sunlight during the less intense hours of the day. They would not withstand full sunlight when it is too intense. Do not expose them to intense sunlight, especially in hot regions, as it could damage the plants. So, if you live in an area where the temperature exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I suggest you plant them in a spot where they can gain partial shade and not full sunlight.
Does dragon fruit need lots of sun?
Generally speaking , dragon fruit would need about six hours of full sunlight in the morning to grow vigorously.
Does dragon fruit need light at night?
Dragon fruit needs light at night . In fact, the dragon fruit plants’ blooming would benefit from that. You may make use of spotlights or bright outdoor lights to accomplish this task. However, you need to let them have light at night for a couple of hours only.
Different light condition for Dragon fruits
Low light
Dragon fruits are quite demanding in terms of sunlight, as only then they can perform to their best potential. As such, bear in mind that they would not perform well in low light. If you grow them exposed to low light for too long, it would not be healthy for the vigorous growth of the plants. If you are growing them indoors and struggling to fulfill the sunlight requirement, your best bet would be to supplement them with artificial light. You may find it difficult to supply the right light levels, especially during dark rainy days, and artificial lights would be quite handy during these times.
Prolonged exposure to low light would make them etiolated too. If they run out of sunlight, they will try to lean in the best possible direction to absorb sunlight. Ultimately, it would end up making them etiolated and develop lengthy growths in the plants. As such, always try to go ahead with the brightest sunny spot when you cultivate them indoors.
Medium light
Six hours of morning sunlight exposure would be optimal for Dragon fruits plants’ healthy growth. So, Dragon fruits can thrive in medium lighting levels as long as they get six hours of sunlight in the morning.
High light
Dragon fruits used to grow in dry tropical weather conditions when they grew in the wild. This literally means they would gain high light in their natural habitats. So, when you cultivate them, you need to resemble the same conditions they get in their natural habitat so that they can grow healthy and firmly.
Artificial lights for Dragon fruits
Dragon fruits are high light requiring plants, and if you are struggling to supply the required sunlight, you may consider using artificial light to supplement additional light. In that context, many people tend to use LED lights to increase the light exposure of the plants. In addition to that, many gardeners opt to go ahead with a full spectrum lighting source that has high watts as dragon fruits have a higher demand when it comes to sunlight.
A full spectrum light would be beneficial for the Dragon fruit plants as it would help the plants to come up with spectacular flowers as well as vigorous fruits. Full spectrum light would be the most appropriate lighting source for these plants, as they want to have six to eight hours of sunlight for their wellbeing.
When you place the full spectrum lights, it’s best to locate them at a distance of 30 inches from the plants at the start. Next, you may shift the lights closer to the plants after about one week’s time. If you have matured plants, you may go ahead with a 260W indoor grow light. That said, if you have grown the Dragon fruits under shade and wish to grow them under grow lights, you need to do it in a gradual manner. Unless its sudden exposure to light would be harmful to the plants.
Usually, dragon fruit plants don’t develop fruits in winter as the daytime would be shorter during these periods. So, if you wish to make these plants produce fruits in all seasons, you could consider making use of electric lighting for this purpose. All you have to do is turn on the electric lights between 4 and 10 p.m., which will create an artificial daytime environment for these plants.
Indoor light requirement for Dragon fruits.
Considering the fact that dragon fruit plants are high light-requiring plants, you need to place them closer to a bright sunny window edge when you grow them as houseplants. You can grow them in appropriate pots and move them in and out of the house depending on the lighting conditions.
Ideally, they need to get bright, indirect full sunlight for about six hours to reward you with flourishing plants. So, if you find it challenging to provide it, you can consider placing strong LED grow lights or any other high-spectrum light. As aforesaid, you could place the grow lights a little far from the plants and move them closer after about one week’s time.
Outdoor light requirement for Dragon fruits
Many people grow dragon fruit in their gardens because it adds so much color. Besides, it would bring a sense of freshness and good vibes to your garden as well. So, if you are wondering where to place them In the garden, it has to be a location where they can gain full sunlight during the morning hours. Furthermore, you need to check whether your plants will be protected from the intense sunlight during the hottest hours of the day there too.
Can dragon fruit get too much sun?
Dragon fruits require strong sunlight levels. Having said that, they will not take too much sunlight either. If you expose them to too much sunlight for prolonged periods, it will make them scorched. As such, to protect the dragon fruits from this condition, you should provide them with some shade or place them in a shady spot.
Young Dragon fruit plants cannot withstand too much sunlight at all as they are more prone to sunburns. If you expose the dragon fruit plants to too much sunlight, you could see them turning yellow. Moreover, prolonged exposure to too much sunlight may even result in the rot of the plant.
Should I rotate my dragon fruit?
I suggest you rotate the Dragon fruit plants on a weekly basis so that they will all receive sunlight equally. If you keep the plant in the same position, only a certain part of the plant will receive sunlight.
Conclusion
To wind up, dragon fruit plants are such great plants that anybody would be delighted to have. They are precious plants which are useful in many aspects. So, I hope now that you are well aware of how to provide the right light levels and that you are all set to start growing the Dragon fruit plants !
Read More : Why Is Echeveria Growing Tall ? ( How Fix It Brilliantly )
