La Verne Red

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

Tasting videos (one with over 71K views): https://youtu.be/XuwOK_oZNRA | https://youtu.be/uKiPI2vHQa8
Alik’s La Verne Red has produced the largest fruit he’s ever grown – 3-pounders. The ‘La Verne’ dragon fruit is a popular hybrid variety named after the Southern California nursery in La Verne where it originated.

Fruit Profile

• Flavor & Taste: Bright purple to magenta flesh with a sweet, tangy “tropical melon grape” flavor, minimal acidity, and a refreshing aftertaste. Brix typically runs 15 to 19.
• Appearance & Size: Large, oval-shaped fruit (unlike the round fruit typical of other Guatemalensis varieties) with red skin and long, wavy green fins. Usually 1 to 1.5 pounds, with some growers reporting fruit up to 3 pounds.

Plant Characteristics

• Growth: Minimal spines, but mature stem segments twist – a unique identifying feature.
• Pollination: Generally self-sterile, requiring cross-pollination from another variety to set fruit.

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.