Early Flowers, Heatwaves & a Clever Trellis Design

One of the things we love most about running Rare Dragon Fruit is hearing back from growers and seeing how our plants perform in different climates across Australia.

Recently, we received an update from a customer in Townsville, who received their dragon fruit cuttings at the beginning of March — and the results after just 9 months have been exciting.

                                                                                                                                                                  Asunta 5 pictured

Early Flowering Success

Despite the challenging tropical conditions, Asunta 5flowered just last week. A few buds were lost during a recent heatwave, which is completely normal in hot, humid regions like North Queensland, but the plant has continued to push forward.

Even more surprising was Phoenix Red, which is now starting to show activity. The grower mentioned they didn’t expect to see any signs of flowering until after Christmas, making this an encouraging and unexpected win.

Managing Heat in Tropical & SEQ Conditions

Heat stress is one of the biggest challenges for dragon fruit growers in South East Queensland and tropical regions, especially when plants are still establishing.

This customer used a simple but very effective solution:
👉 Potted plants with removable shade covers

This setup allows:

• Protection during extreme heat

• Better airflow than permanent shade

• Flexibility as the seasons change

• Reduced stress on buds and flowers

Losing a few buds during a heatwave is far better than losing the plant itself, and temporary shade can make all the difference.

If you’d like to achieve similar results, check out these images showing how our Townsville customer potted up his dragon fruit plants and the great trellis design he’s created. Growing in pots with a sturdy trellis makes it easier to manage heat, airflow, and plant health.