Have you ever seen one bloom?

[lavender]

Have you seen a Night Blooming Cereus in Bloom? Mine bloomed in September. The flower only lasts for one night and they have a very sweet odor. This is the first time mine has bloomed in years. They need total darkness at night to bloom.

[Guest snellma]

How very interesting.

[Petee]

Gorgeous!  

 

Actually it's not a Night Blooming Cereus, but a lot of people call it that.  It's an Orchid Cactus.

http://www.ecology.org/ecophoto/articles/Epiphyllum.htm

 

The one at Penn State has bloomed in the past.  Also, a friend had a greenhouse attached to his kitchen and he had one that bloomed almost continually through the winter.  The smell could get to the point of a headache at times.

[lavender]

The common name of this plant is Night Blooming Cereus. I am quite aware that it is actually Epiphyllum oxypetalum as that is what the tag in it says. It is called Night Blooming Cereus to differentiate it from rest of the Epiphyllum which are mostly day blooming plants. They are indeed commonly called orchid cacti and are tropical epiphytes.

There is another plant called Night Blooming Cereus, it is Hylocereus undatus. It is a much rarer desert plant.  

Many plants share common names. This is why it is much better, if somewhat pretentious, to use the proper botanical names. I shall be pretentious in the future so as not to be confusing. If anyone was actually confused by my use of the plant's common name.

[Petee]

It's still gorgeous.

[DrSeussie]

Lavender, you sure are patient.

What does the smell compare to?

[lavender]

Jasmine? The plant is worth keeping around just for its leaves. I looks like something from Dr. Seuss. It puts out these long stems at times and the flat leaves will grow from them. I've got another orchid cactus that has red flowers and the leaves are narrower and not as shiny. It is a better (day) bloomer but just doesn't compare with this one.

 

It quit blooming, I think, because I potted it into a bigger pot and then we started using the guest bedroom where I kept it. It just wasn't getting the long dark nights it needed. It is out in the greenhouse now so perhaps it will start blooming regularly again.