Dark Star

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

The Dark Star dragon fruit (also known as 9S) is a popular, self-sterile hybrid variety known for its attractive dark pink skin with long, skinny fins and vibrant magenta-colored, sweet, grape-like flesh that's delicious chilled. Created by Paul Thomson, it offers a balanced, sweet-tangy flavor with a high sugar content (Brix), making it a favorite for fresh eating, even though it requires cross-pollination from another variety to produce fruit. 

Characteristics

• Skin: Dark pink/red with distinctive long, green-tipped bracts (fins).
• Flesh: Magenta/purple, juicy.
• Flavor: Mild, sweet, and tangy with a grape-like taste.
• Size: Medium to large, often 0.75 to 1.5 pounds.
• Pollination: Self-sterile, meaning it needs compatible pollen from another dragon fruit variety (like 'Cosmic Charlie' or 'Physical Graffiti') to set fruit. 

Growing & Care

• Growth: A fast grower that thrives on a support structure like a totem or trellis.
• Sun: Prefers full sun to partial shade.
• Soil: Needs well-draining, compost-rich soil.
• Watering: Water regularly but allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings; avoid watering for a couple of days before harvest to improve flavor.