Desert King is a white-fleshed, moderately sweet dragon fruit (pitaya) cultivar of Selenicereus undatus that needs a different variety nearby to set fruit. It flowers May–September and fruit ripens 30-35 days after flowering.
- Flesh colourWhite
- Brix15-17° · moderately sweet
- PollinationNeeds cross-pollination
- FloweringMay–September
- Bud to flower27.2 daysGrower average, 6 logged buds
- Harvest30-35 days after flowering
What Tendra growers see
4 Tendra growers track 4 plants of Desert King, making it #11 of 90 cultivars among Tendra dragon fruit growers.
So far they have logged 8 buds, 7 blooms and 1 harvest.
On average, buds take about 27.2 days to open (6 logged buds).
Logged blooms by month: July (4), October (3). Peak bloom is in July.
See the full Desert King grow stats. Numbers update as growers log more.
Distinguishing features
Thrives in arid conditions with minimal water. Red flesh, concentrated sweetness when water-stressed. Heat tolerant to 115°F. Weakness: needs pollinator despite being universal donor. Arizona selection.
Fruit and flavor
Dragon fruit with white flesh. Sugar content (Brix): 15-17. Harvest when skin color changes and fruit gives slightly to pressure.