Overview
Hylocereus guatemalensis, cv. Taiwan Red
Other names: Taiwanese Red
Pollination: self-fertile
I obtained this variety from a guy with over 100 types of dragon fruit, yet this was the one he had 200 poles of planted out at a separate location on his farm. He said it ticked all the boxes: great taste, attractive fruit, self-fertile and a vigorous grower. After hearing this, I thought that I might like to grow some for myself, and he generously gave me a cutting. It is one of the major varieties to come out of an intensive breeding program based in Taiwan, though it may be superseded by the next generation of cultivars, such as Taiwan Red (Giant), which I’ve also got growing. After one season of fruit, it is safe to say that I am not disappointed, though I am not blown away. The fruit are indeed very attractive, and the taste is promising, but the plant is not quite as vigorous as I was hoping. It is being outcompeted by Paul Thomson #7, which is a surprise. Still, I would be surprised if this variety doesn’t become much more popular in the near future.
Buds
Taiwan Red produces buds that are slick and almost pointy, exacerbated by the well-defined red outline of the sepals. I find this quite attractive, and it’s nice to see a variety that looks like some of the impressive pictures I’ve seen from Asian farms. This is a true, bona fide commercial variety that has seen great success in its home country. If you are wanting to start a small farm, definitely consider Taiwan Red when deciding on specific cultivars.
Flowers
I just love the flowers produced by Taiwan Red. They are huge, dinner-plate sized stunners with a gorgeous yellow in the surrounding sepals/tepals. This really makes the white of the petals stand out in a way that other, similarly shaped flowers (like Colombian Supreme) do not. The stigma is not quite “buried in the others” as I had been led to believe, but it certainly does not protrude far, so there is even a chance that this variety is self-pollinating, though I wouldn’t risk it myself.
Fruit
The fruit develop a vibrant, hot-pink colour on the outside when ripe, which really pops in the garden and gives a nice contrast to the darker, red flesh when you cut into it. Better still, they are a nice, round fruit, which is something customers really appreciate (aesthetics are the main drawcard for supermarket dragon fruit which are typically bland due to them being picked too early for storage reasons). The taste is sweet, with your typical berry flavour for red-fleshed varieties, though the flesh is nice and smooth which elevates the eating experience.
