Dragon fruit in Cambodia

Dragon fruit cactus is the tropical plant, native to Mexico and America. It also cultivated in many tropical countries including Indonesia, Sri lanka, Malaysia, Philippine, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, in several areas of Australia, Japan, Hawaii, and recently Cambodia is the latest country in the region which is also interested on dragon fruit cactus plantation. After practical planting in several years, we found that dragon fruit cactus is suitable with the soil and the climate condition of the country, it become very popular among Cambodian farmers. They are cultivated it in farm, also in the garden as a flowering vine, and an indoor plantation.
Dragon fruit cactus is called in Khmer,  Sroka-Neark which is mean Dragon’s scale fruit. It grows well in most area of the whole country, especially in Northern provinces such as SiemReap, Battambang, Bantea Mean Chey, Pailin, where the ideal location is suited soil condition and great climate which is hot, shinny and rainy. However, most farms are still small, their harvests just enough to supply for the local market.

Dragon Fruit Tree

Commonly, Cambodia people planted purple and white dragon fruit cactus, and harvest their fruits product which the most great tasty and delicious than others imported from other countries. In the picture is the small family dragon fruit cactus farm of one farmer who lives in Thmor Kol district, Battambang province. Ms. Ly Kimphun, the farm owner said that dragon fruit farming as practiced here is less of maintenance fee. It is grown entirely organic; no chemicals of any kind have been used. That’s why its fruits are sweetest than ever. Planting dragon fruit cactus is spending less investment.

Ready for harvesting dragon fruit cactus

How to plant the dragon fruit cactus? She continues that: To beginning, she took a few segment of dragon fruit cactus from a farm ( she took from Banteasrey Farm in Siem Reap province), it is in about 20-40cm long. To prepare planting, she cut the lower half of its segment, and place it into small plastic pot soil (or can place directly into soil where you choose for growing).

Segment of Dragon Fruit Cactus

To take good care of young dragon fruit cactus seedling from a cut segment of an old dragon fruit cactus, she pours water one time per 2 weeks, in condition of hot weather on dry season, but it no need ideal standing water during raining season. Unlike others tree, dragon fruit cactus is growing fast. When the fully grown dragon fruit cactus plant is about 20 cm, it the right time to put a pole for dragon fruit cactus seedling climbing up. A pole can be made from wood or made concrete pole and plain concrete wall, the dragon fruit cactus can great climbs up and grows well. And then put a ring or wheel made from wood or from the old tire wheel on the top of dragon fruit plants cactus for supporting pole. It allows the dragon fruit cactus to grow outside as well as grow inside the supporting ring. Typically, the high of a supporting pole maximum from 2-3 meters is good for harvest.

Dragon Fruit Cactus growing in lines

The great location for planting dragon fruit cactus should be in plain sun, out of the shadow of the house or tree. It experienced that the more hot sunny is the more great fruit bearing. For instant, in Vietnam, there are many farms have great experienced to light more lamps at night on the top of dragon fruit cactus, to keep shining them for 24 hours every day. It is effected to flower blossoms and bear numerous yield of fruits. By this way some farms can produce 30 tons of fruit per hectare every year.
Talking about dragon fruit cactus blossoms, we found that it flowers blossoms only at night, and when the sun is rising, their blossoms completely closed. Most of dragon fruit flowers is large in white colored with distinctive fragrant. Because of its beauty, dragon fruit cactus flower was called the Moon flower or Queen of the night. Dragon fruit cactus flowered in 30-50 days after planted, so it can be harvested many times per year.

Dragon Fruit is displaying in the market

Dragon fruit typically is sour and refreshing with juicier flesh. However dragon fruit growing in Cambodia is slightly sour and sweeter. The ideal harvest dragon fruit for exotic tasty should be into hot sunny season as well as for eating at day time is tasty then at night time. Now you can find the Cambodia tasty dragon fruit on local market in every seasonal. One kilo of dragon fruit cost about two US dollars only.  Moreover, you can visit dragon fruit cactus farm in some provinces on your holidays.[by sroknoun]