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🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🌺 Edgar’s Baby Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus hybrid) — Compact, Early, Sweet-Tart Perfection!
Small-space friendly, patio-ready, and bred for flavor—Edgar’s Baby brings dazzling night blooms and candy-magenta fruit to your garden or greenhouse. Bred by renowned California hybridizer Edgar Valdivia, this collector favorite is celebrated for early production and balanced sweet-tangy flavor.
🌿 Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Hylocereus (hybrid; a.k.a. Selenicereus hybrid) |
| Plant Type | Climbing cactus (pitaya), night-blooming, fruiting vine |
| Size at Sale | Ships in 1-gallon pot |
| Mature Height & Width | 10–15+ ft with support (easily managed smaller by pruning); 3–6 ft spread |
| USDA Zones | 9–11 (protect from frost; best growth above ~46–50°F) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun preferred; tolerates part shade |
| Cold Hardiness | Tissue injury near 32°F—protect or overwinter inside |
| Growth Habit | Fast-growing segmented stems; climbs posts/trellises |
| Spacing Requirements | 8–10 ft between plants; one strong post/trellis per plant is ideal |
🍈 Fruit, Flowers & Flavor
- Appearance: Striking pink-to-red skin with leafy scales; vibrant magenta flesh packed with edible black seeds.
- Flavor & Texture: Juicy, kiwi-like seed crunch with a sweet-tart tropical profile—refreshing and complex. Typical Brix reported around ~18 at full ripeness.
- Blooming: Huge, fragrant, night-blooming flowers (the famed “queen of the night”) precede fruit.
- Harvest Window: Summer through early fall in warm climates; fruit matures roughly ~30–50 days after pollination, depending on conditions.
- Pollination: Often fruits well with cross-pollination or hand-pollination for bigger, more consistent crops.
🧬 What Makes “Edgar’s Baby” Special?
- Breeding & Parentage: A Valdivia hybrid linked to the Asunta line (with genetics from H. stenopterus, H. guatemalensis, and some H. undatus in the background). Expect white flowers and green-tinged skin that ripens to vivid color with purple/magenta flesh.
- Compact, Early, Productive: Selected for manageable size and earlier fruiting than many sprawling types—excellent for home growers and containers.
🌱 Top Benefits & Uses
- Culinary: Spoon fresh, cube for fruit bowls, blend into smoothies/sorbets, or use in bright sauces and mocktails.
- Nutrition: Naturally a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants typical of dragon fruit; a flavorful addition to a produce-rich diet.
- Ornamental: Architectural ribbed stems and spectacular nocturnal flowers make it a centerpiece on patios and entryways.
- Space-saving: Performs beautifully on a single post-and-umbrella training system—perfect for small gardens and potted culture.
🌼 Ornamental & Container Gardening Notes
- Landscape Use: Train up a 4×4 post, fence, or arbor; let stems drape from the top for heavy flowering.
- Containers: Thrives in 15–20+ gallon pots with fast-draining mix; install the support post at planting. Edgar’s Baby is frequently recommended among the best cultivars for pot culture.
- Indoors/Greenhouse: Provide bright, direct light (south exposure or grow lights). Hand-pollinate night blooms if pollinators are absent.
🌿 Best Practices for Planting & Care
Where to Plant
- Sun: Full sun (6–8+ hrs); light afternoon shade is fine in high-heat sites.
- Soil: Well-drained sandy/loamy soil; slightly acidic to neutral (approx. pH 6–7.5).
- Site: Wind-sheltered location with room for trellising.
Planting Instructions
- Dig a hole just wider than the pot, plant at same depth as the root ball.
- Backfill with native soil blended with compost; do not bury the stem base.
- Follow GreenDreams’ “High & Tight” method: keep the crown slightly above grade and firm in well for zero wobble.
- Set a sturdy support (post/trellis) at planting and tie leaders loosely as they climb.
Watering
- Establishment: Water daily for the first week, then 2–3×/week, tapering to weekly in the first year.
- Bloom/Fruiting: Keep evenly moist (not soggy) to reduce flower/fruit drop. Overwatering can cause stem/stem-end rot—good drainage is critical.
Nutrition & Mulch
- Seasonal top-dress: compost + biochar + trace minerals (e.g., azomite).
- Hardwood mulch helps regulate moisture and soil temps—keep mulch off the stem.
Seasonal Maintenance (Florida & similar climates)
- Cold: Protect around freezing with covers or move containers to shelter.
- Pruning: After harvest, thin crowded/damaged stems and maintain a few strong leaders up the post, forming an umbrella canopy for heavy bloom set.
⚠️ Cautions
- Frost sensitive: Tissue damage near 32°F—protect or overwinter inside.
- Pollination: Yields may improve with cross-pollination or light hand-pollination at night.
- Handling: Stem edges can be mildly bristly; use gloves when pruning/tying.
🌟 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal For:
Small-space gardeners, patio/greenhouse growers, tropical fruit collectors, smoothie lovers, and anyone seeking a compact, early-fruiting dragon fruit.
❌ Not Ideal For:
Areas colder than Zone 9 without winter protection, or sites without a solid vertical support.
❓ FAQ (SEO-Ready)
Q1: Who bred Edgar’s Baby, and what’s its lineage?
A: It was bred by Edgar Valdivia; sources note links to the Asunta line and hybrid genetics involving H. stenopterus, H. guatemalensis, and some H. undatus.
Q2: How soon will it fruit?
A: In warm zones with good care, it’s known for earlier production than many types—often within 1–2 seasons after strong establishment.
Q3: What’s the taste like?
A: Magenta flesh with a sweet-tart, tropical profile; some listings report ~18 Brix at peak.
Q4: Can I grow it in a container?
A: Yes—Edgar’s Baby is frequently recommended for pot culture; use 15–20+ gallon containers with a center post.
Q5: Does it need cross-pollination?
A: You can get fruit without it, but cross- or hand-pollination generally improves set and size, especially in indoor/greenhouse culture.
📦 Shipping & Handling Notes (1-Gallon)
These smaller sizes are best suited for Florida, the Southeast, and Texas.
We do ship nationwide, but buyers in the northern and western US should expect potential transit stress and allow recovery time.
Extreme heat/cold: Please use buyer discretion during peak seasons.
We ship Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida, and we are not responsible for damage from extreme temperatures during transit.
📍 Local Pickup — Come Visit!
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Open Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | Sat 8 AM–3 PM
First-come, first-served—our inventory changes daily!
🛒 Bring Home a Proven Patio Performer
Ready for gorgeous night blooms and sweet-tart magenta fruit? Add Edgar’s Baby to your cart and start your patio orchard!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
