Connie Mayer Dragonfruit is a hybrid cactus developed by German hybridizer Eckhard Meier, created by crossing Hylocereus stenopterus with Hylocereus undatus. This climbing succulent produces abundant small to medium fruits weighing around one pound, with distinctive transparent pink skin and lemon-lime green fins encasing sweet white flesh. The variety is notably tender and three-sided, reflecting its stenopterus parentage, and thrives in full sun where it develops striking purple and pink flowers that open at dusk. In warmer climates, fruits reach peak sweetness after 45 days on the vine, with an impressive sugar content of 20+ brix.
Full Sun
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Moderate
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Connie Mayer stands apart for its prolific fruiting habit and exceptional sweetness, consistently reaching 20+ brix. The flowers alone are spectacular: medium-sized blooms with deep purple inner petals shading to light pink edges and white tips, opening dramatically at dusk and closing at sunrise. Its tender growth habit and small single spines make it easier to handle than many dragonfruit varieties, while the distinctive transparent pink skin with bright green fins makes each fruit unmistakable on the vine.
As an edible fruit, Connie Mayer dragonfruit is enjoyed fresh, with the white flesh scooped directly from the skin. The extended ripening period compared to standard Hylocereus species, reaching peak sweetness at 45 days, makes it particularly suited to gardeners who prefer to harvest fruit at maximum flavor intensity rather than rushing to pick immature fruit.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Harvest Connie Mayer fruits when the skin develops a transparent pink color with visible lemon-lime green fins. Allow fruits to remain on the vine for the full 45 days to achieve maximum sweetness and brix content, which is notably longer than other Hylocereus species that typically ripen in 30 days. Gently twist or cut the fruit from the vine when fully colored and slightly soft to the touch.
As a climbing cactus with tender three-sided growth, Connie Mayer benefits from training onto a sturdy trellis or support structure. Prune to direct the stems upward and remove any dead or damaged segments, keeping in mind that the tender growth habit means careful handling is needed to avoid breaking stems during training.
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“Connie Mayer emerged from the work of German hybridizer Eckhard Meier, who created three hybrid clones by crossing Hylocereus stenopterus with Hylocereus undatus. Alongside its siblings Bruni and Kathie Van Arum, Connie Mayer represents a deliberate effort to breed improved dragonfruit varieties. The variety was found and registered in the early 2000s and subsequently collected by Spicy Exotics from a tropical grower in California who had cultivated it since 2000, preserving this hybrid for home gardeners and specialty fruit enthusiasts.”