Projo Garden Blog

For about eleven-and-one-half months of the year, the night blooming cereus is one ugly plant. It is basically a stick. Long and leggy, it needs to be supported by a trellis ( or tied to the porch railing as we do). It also needs to come in the house during colder weather, since it is a native cactus from Mexico.

So why the heck would anyone want to grow it?
For that half-month that it blooms, that’s why.

This ugly plant makes the most beautiful flower in the garden. Only problem- it only blooms at night. If you wait until morning to see it, it will already be passed. If you catch it in bloom, you will see a flower that looks like it came from Mars. Very large white petals with unusual sepals that can only be described in a photo (see below ). The plant puts out the buds at the ends of the leaves when it’s about to bloom, which takes about a week. Check out this time-lapse video of the bloom to see what I mean. Now you get the Mars analogy, right?

If you bring it inside when the buds appear, the scent ( or stink--depending on your point of view ) will let you know when the bloom is about to blow. I’ve heard the scent described as a sweet perfume. That is being kind. It smells more like cheap perfume-- the kind you may encounter in a cathouse on the Place de Clichy in Paris. And it will fill the house-- it is that strong. I have kept them until the following day by clipping them and putting the bloom in the fridge. But they don’t last long after that. It’s worth staying up to see.

Although the buds only bloom for one night, the plant can put out multiple blooms at different times throughout the half month that it blooms.

Comments

Carol said:

I agree, this is one ugly plant but the bloom is sure worth the trouble. Mine bloomed about a month ago: http://maydreamsgardens.blogspot.com/2007/07/magical-night-update-special-bloom.html

Link | August 3, 2007 9:58 PM
Report Abuse

---

pat said:

Hi,
How long have you had the plant?
Where did you get it?
Is there a special care required for the plant? Do you expect the plant to become very tall?
The flower is so beautiful.

Link | August 4, 2007 7:13 AM
Report Abuse

---

Jody McPhillips said:

I had one for years, and used to throw a party on the night when the most blossoms opened. I think our record was about 18. The rest of the time the plant was pretty unattractive, like something you'd yank out of a vacant lot. Yours is a lot better looking than ours was. Maybe you'll let me have a leaf next time I'm in Rhode Island and I'll start up all over again.

Link | August 6, 2007 3:31 AM
Report Abuse

---

Beth Heaney said:

That is a beautiful thing.

Link | August 6, 2007 7:17 AM
Report Abuse

---

dave weyermann said:

Pat-
We've had this cereus (actually my wife's) for over twenty years. I think she had it when I first met her. I can't recall where she got it. Check a good nursery online. We keep it outside on the porch in the summer and water it with the hose when it gets a bit dry. Thanks for not noticing the sunscald on some of the leaves. It gets to be about 8'-10' tall if not cut back. Try it!

Jody-
Come over anytime.

Link | August 7, 2007 5:26 PM
Report Abuse

---

chuck groth said:

hi, dave. your plants look great. how are things?

Link | March 29, 2008 3:03 PM
Report Abuse

---

Leave a comment

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.