How often does the night blooming cereus bloom?
Once a year in June, the night-blooming Cereus, which usually looks like a half-dead vine, turns into a stunning display of fragrant white blossoms! The show begins just after dusk and is usually over by midnight. By morning, the blooms are all but gone. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.Once a year in June, the night-blooming Cereus, which usually looks like a half-dead vine, turns into a stunning display of fragrant white blossoms! The show begins just after dusk and is usually over by midnight. By morning, the blooms are all but gone.The flowers are short lived, and some of these species, such as Selenicereus grandiflorus, bloom only once a year, for a single night, though most put out multiple flowers over several weeks, each of which opens for only a single night.The Night-Blooming Cereus — often called the Queen of the Night — carries rich and layered symbolism across cultures and spiritual traditions. Its rare and fleeting bloom, which typically lasts just one night, has made it a powerful metaphor for transformation, resilience, and the beauty of impermanence.Night-blooming cereus plants are tropical. They’re typically grown indoors in containers in colder regions since night blooming cereus temperature tolerance is 40°F and warmer. Night blooming cereus indoor care is simple: they need light, water, cacti fertilizer, and little else.
How do you care for a night blooming cereus?
Blooming is sporadic, not continuous, and plants must be old enough before they bloom (generally, two years from a rooted cutting). Plants do best grown in well-drained potting soil or a cactus and succulent mix. Water as soon as the soil becomes dry. If you do not water often enough, the plant will look shriveled. Most important is providing enough light. Avoid harsh, full-sun locations. A spot that gets direct sun in the morning and shade the rest of the day will provide enough light for a night blooming cereus to bloom well. If you provide too much sun, the foliage will get yellowish with red or pink tints.Temperature fluctuations are equally important for cactus blooming. Cacti often need a shift between cooler nighttime temperatures and warmer daytime temperatures to encourage flowering.The night-blooming cereus is a rare cactus plant that blooms only once a year, and always at night. The flower is large, white, and fragrant, but it only lasts for a single night—by dawn, it wilts.Bloom Night typically happens between Mid-June to Mid-July, but that’s as precise as it gets. Shortly before blooming, the cacti will sprout buds, which eventually become the flowers. Tohono Chul publishes updates via an email newsletter, as well as on social media, about when they are expecting the flowers to bloom.
Is the night blooming cereus rare?
Peniocereus greggii greggii, commonly known as Night Blooming Cereus, is a protected cacti native to the Chihuahuan Desert. This rare cactus is unassuming at first glance, and easily blends in with the branches of Creosote or Honey Mesquite that it frequently uses as nurse plants. The Night-Blooming Cereus — often called the Queen of the Night — carries rich and layered symbolism across cultures and spiritual traditions. Its rare and fleeting bloom, which typically lasts just one night, has made it a powerful metaphor for transformation, resilience, and the beauty of impermanence.The Cereus Cactus appreciates a warm, dry environment with minimal water, and plenty of light. This desert beauty will thrive in high light conditions, so placing it in a window where it will receive direct sunlight is ideal — preferably a southern or western facing window, as they are typically the brightest.Avoid harsh, full-sun locations. A spot that gets direct sun in the morning and shade the rest of the day will provide enough light for a night blooming cereus to bloom well. If you provide too much sun, the foliage will get yellowish with red or pink tints.Cereus (/ˈsɪəriəs/ serious) is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae) including around 33 species of large columnar cacti from South America.Peniocereus greggii greggii, commonly known as Night Blooming Cereus, is a protected cacti native to the Chihuahuan Desert. This rare cactus is unassuming at first glance, and easily blends in with the branches of Creosote or Honey Mesquite that it frequently uses as nurse plants.
Is queen of the night the same as Night Blooming Cereus?
Many people erroneously think the queen of the night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) is the only type of night-blooming cereus. There are at least 10 varieties (genera) of night-blooming cereus. Confusion often results when using common names to discuss them. For example, many plant species are called queen of the night. All Cereus species bloom at night and are terrestrial plants; Epiphyllum species are usually epiphytic.Answer. Epiphyllum oxypetalum can bloom with gorgeous 4-inch, funnel-shaped flowers. Epi enjoys medium light indoors and a shady spot outdoors during the warm weather season, so full sun is not necessary.
Is night blooming cereus hard to grow?
Night-blooming cereus isn’t difficult to grow. It’s a classic pass-along plant, and it’s not unusual to find one that’s been carefully handed down through generations via easy-to-root cuttings. These succulents can root in just a few weeks from cuttings that are taken in spring from its leaves. Propagating night blooming cereus from cuttings is faster and easier than trying to start new plants from seed.