Houghton

Store: Shulman Dragon Fruit Orchard • Moorpark, CA, US

Houghton is a self-fertile hybrid variety of red-fleshed dragon fruit known for its sweet, berry-like flavor and robust growth.

Fruit Profile

• Appearance: Small to medium, oval-shaped fruit (roughly a quarter to half a pound) with red skin and small, deep green fins.
• Flesh & Flavor: Bright red-purple, semi-firm, sweet, and juicy – often compared to a sweet beet or very sweet red grape, sometimes with floral or berry notes. Brix averages around 18 and can climb as the plant matures.

Plant Characteristics

• Growth: Vigorous, with thick, olive-green, meaty stems.
• Flowers: Large, fragrant, night-blooming white flowers over 15 inches across – among the first and last to bloom each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile, with abundant “universal” pollen that also works well for cross-pollinating self-sterile varieties.
• Heritage: Named after botanist Arthur Duvernoix Houghton; one of the parent varieties Paul Thomson used to create the popular Sugar Dragon (also called Voodoo Child, or 8-S).

Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade. Water when the top inch of soil dries — dragon fruit is drought-tolerant and dislikes soggy roots. Hardy outdoors in USDA zones 9–11, or grow it in a pot or greenhouse and bring it inside when temperatures drop below 32°F.