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Selenicereus costaricensis is a climbing cactus whose vines bear scarlet pitaya fruit, grown commercially in Central and northern South America. The key to growing it is warmth, bright sun, good drainage and a sturdy climbing support.
Selenicereus costaricensis, also known as Costa Rica nightblooming cactus or Costa Rican pitaya, is a perennial climbing succulent in the cactus family (Cactaceae). Its fruit, a type of pitaya (dragon fruit), has high economic and nutritional value. The species is native to Central America and northwestern South America, ranging from Nicaragua to northern Peru in seasonally dry tropical biomes.
Selenicereus costaricensis is a plant that thrives in warm, dry, and sunny conditions. While it tolerates drought well, it has little resistance to cold; its preferred growing temperature lies between 20 and 30 °C. The species is not particular about soil type, though it performs best in well‑drained sandy loam. In commercial production, growers plant either cuttings or tissue‑cultured seedlings and provide climbing supports for the vines.
To improve propagation efficiency, researchers have developed tissue culture protocols for this species. By selecting suitable culture media, plant growth regulators, and acclimatisation substrates, rapid and large‑scale seedling production can be achieved. Traditional cutting propagation has also been studied; treating cuttings with appropriate concentrations of rooting promoters significantly increases rooting rate and root quality.
The natural range of the species extends from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama in Central America to Colombia and northern Peru in South America. Its original distribution is difficult to determine precisely because of long‑term cultivation. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua it grows in dry or deciduous coastal forests and rocky areas at elevations of 0–1400 m. It has been introduced to many regions as a crop plant.
Nightblooming cactus · Fishbone Cactus · Queen of the night · Selenicereus hamatus · Selenicereus megalanthus · Selenicereus setaceus · Vine-like moonlight cactus · Nightblooming Cactus · Moonlight cactus
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Selenicereus costaricensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
