The night blooming cereus (Epiphyllum hookeri) is both beautiful and easy to grow, but there's one catch -- trying to actually see the blooms. One of the common names for this plant is Queen of the Night and it is so appropriate for these gorgeous blooms which disappear quickly at dawn.
I posted about the closing of the blooms for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and this week I captured the blooms fully open on a cloudy morning. The blooms are supposed to begin opening around 10 p.m, but the ones on this plant don't seem to open until the middle of the night.
My friend Ragna shared this plant when her neighbor downsized to an apartment and no longer had room. I wasn't sure I wanted to grow them but now I'm hooked and, as a form of cactus, they could not be easier to grow. After sticking the cuttings and rooted pieces in a well-draining potting mix and watering them in, I basically ignored them. Imagine my surprise when I found four buds several weeks later.
The foliage is not quite so stunning as the blooms. It's somewhat messy but it does have an interesting structure for a hanging basket or large pot.
They do need protection from frost and heat above 100F/38C which means I'll need to keep them in the shade this week as we are predicted to reach 104F/41C.
Here's a slideshow of the bloom cycle which lasted about two hours on a cloudy morning
It seems the more difficult a plant is in some way, the more we dote on it. Loved the slide show.
ReplyDeleteI've managed to collect plants that only look difficult so far.
DeleteReally nice show:) Such a lovely plant for me at anytime of the year. Love the blooms and how they attract all kinds of cool critters. Getting up early is key:) Or having a night light on the flower at night. I have a shot of this from a while back. The very last picture is one that made me smile from our gardens here at El Presidio.... http://gardeningandthespanishway-rohrerbot.blogspot.com/2011/03/moonlight-gardens-in-desert.html
ReplyDeleteI have had to protect these plants from our severe frost. Some I was able to save and others, sadly like the one from that pic, were lost:( Hope you have a good weekend!!!
That was a beautiful post and great plant recommendations for night gardens.
DeleteIt's certainly a stunning bloom. Obviously the plant itself thrives on a little bit of neglect. How wonderful that you managed to get such a great shot of the open bloom.
ReplyDeleteI hope you acquire one soon Bernie, you'll love it too.
DeleteThat is a very cool flower. Thanks for showing the slideshow.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Mary.
DeleteI've always felt a sort of magic around Epiphyllums which bloom rather secretly at night. However, it's no secret to the hummingbird moths that are attracted to their scent. But I am amazed that your epi is blooming so soon after being uprooted for a month before you got it! I think you'll find that the foliage will be quite pretty after a while under your care. Some people think mine are staghorn ferns.
ReplyDeleteRagna
Thanks for the vote of confidence Ragna. I do need to give them a while to settle in. I couldn't believe I got four blooms right off.
DeleteI too like the slideshow. Night blooms are such special flowers, since the ones usually seeing them are moths.
ReplyDeleteIf I find more like this I might be inclined to stay up with the moths more often.
DeleteI too like the slideshow. Night blooms are such special flowers, since the ones usually seeing them are moths.
ReplyDeleteanother beauty for a moon garden and glad you were able to capture the blooms that only moths would normally 'see'. Have to be grown under glass here but am sorely tempted now
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by PatioPatch.
DeleteThe hanging basket helps with space and they can go outdoors during the warmer months. You shouldn't get nearly as hot in London as we do here.
Fascinating! Very pretty! One feels like there is a whole different world out in the garden at night, with different blooms and night-flying moths and other nocturnal animals..
ReplyDeleteOoh those nocturnal animals! We have almost all you can name around here which is why we stay inside at night.
DeleteGreat slideshow. I compared the photos of your cereus with photos of mine and I think they are the same variety. So far, mine has only bloomed once this year. It is such an easy plant to care for and it is almost magical when the flowers open. I got another variety at a plant swap a couple of years ago. I am still waiting for it to bloom.
ReplyDeleteHi, just spotted this on google and thought i'd mention that your plant doesn't appear to be Epiphyllum oxypetalum the flower and leaves are completely different from Epiphyllum oxypetalum most likely your plant is another species possibly Epiphyllum hookeri
ReplyDeleteI looked this up again and agree that it is more likely E. hookeri. Thank you Carl.
ReplyDeleteWhen researching this post I checked several different sources and now it seems some photos were mislabeled. With the proper information I see the differences, especially in the flower.