Night-Blooming Cereus

Night-Blooming Cereus(Red pitaya)(Dragonfruit)(Hylocereus undatus)	
Night-Blooming Cereus(Red pitaya)(Dragonfruit)(Hylocereus undatus)
Image required 	Image required
Invasive Status 	Invasive Status
Mildly Invasive 	Population stable
Natural Range 	Natural Range
*Mexico
*Central America
*Possibly South America	
*Mexico
*Central America
*Possibly South America
Introduced Range	Introduced Range
*Florida
*Hawaii
*Australia
*South Africa	
*Florida
*Hawaii
*Australia
*South Africa
Pathways 	Pathways
Crop
Aesthetic value	
Crop
Aesthetic value
Impacts 	Impacts
Offbalancing trees	
Offbalancing trees
Control Methods 	Control Methods
None 	
None
The night-blooming cereus (Hylocereus undatus), also called the white-fleshed pitaya, red pitahaya, strawberry pear, belle of the night, or dragonfruit, amongst other local names, is an epiphytic cactus thought to be native to Central and South America.
==Range==
===Native Range===
The original range of the night-blooming cereus is hard to determine, as this species has been grown horticulturally for many years and were thus introduced to many countries before population records began.*
It may be native only to just Central America(*/**) or both Central and northern South America(***/****).
It is generally believed to be native from southern Mexico to Costa Rica(*). Whether or not the native range extends south beyond there is disputed.
===Introduced Range===
====North America====
In North America, the night-blooming cereus has been introduced to east, south and central Florida,^ as well as the Hawaiian islands of Oah'u and Kaua'i.****
====Central America====
Due to the uncertain native range of the night-blooming cereus, it is hard to say where in Central America this species is not native. It may be introduced to Cuba.***
====Oceania====
The night-blooming cereus has become established widely in eastern Australia.^^
====Africa====
Night-blooming cereus is in South Africa, where it has a status of NEMBA category 2.** It may also be present in Cape Verde.***
==Pathways and Introduction==
The night-blooming cereus is grown in many parts of the world for it's fruit. It is also grown ornamentally for its flowers which open at night.**
Also, birds are known to spread the seeds of this species.**
Night-blooming cereus was first brought to Hawaii in 1830.****
==Impacts==
The weight of night-blooming cereus plants which have climbed up the trunk of a tree can result in a great imbalance to cause the tree to fall.^^
==Control and Removal Methods==
No control or removal methods are currently in place for this species due to its low invasive impact.
==Sources==
* IUCN Red List
** Invasive Species South Africa
*** Invasive Species Compendium
**** National (US) Tropical Botanical Garden
^ United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
^^ Queensland Government Weeds of Australia Biosecurity Queensland Edition
Category:Plants
Category:Cacti
Category:USA
Category:Hawaii (US)
Category:Cuba
Category:Australia
Category:South Africa
Category:Cape Verde