Opening Soon: Night Blooming Cereus
I was gifted a night blooming cereus, I carried this rather gangly looking plant into our home. My husband dropped a few “ugly ducking” comments but I assured him that, soon, hugely scented blooms would open making everything worth the effort.
UPDATE: Below, you’ll find our time-lapse photo series of the event.
Setting up the time-lapse brought about questioning comments from dearest hubby; again I say… TRUST ME.. (while inside I’m hoping for success)Plant Care: I quickly researched the care and needs of the Cereus (Wiki) to see what I might be getting myself into. Overall it is an “easy care plant” as you water reasonably during the growth periods; then sparingly, if at all, in the winter, feed in spring. There are multiple varieties of plants,called Night Blooming Cereus; commonly found in warmer climates. A good source of information, with bud progression photos, that identified my variety was: Hylocereus undatus (worley.com). As a houseplant, the Night Blooming Cereus isn’t a beautiful plant, overall, if you put up with its rather odd-looking growth you would be rewarded with beautiful bloom, once or twice a year, location depending. Propagation of the plant is very easy as there are roots ready and waiting to touch soil on each bracket.
The University of Arkansas has excellent information regarding the Night Blooming Cereus and reports the following when describing the actual bloom process: “The buds increase dramatically in size. The day of blooming, the bud will begin to open about 9 or 10 pm, and be wide open by midnight. When they’re ready to open, they do so in dramatic fashion, literally before your eyes — you can see the movement. We once did time-lapse photography for a show, and it was amazing to all of us present. The size and shape of the blooms is outstanding enough on its own, but the fragrance can scent an entire room.”
After a winter of care (which means I often forgot to water this plant, win/win) I put, what was now a large lush plant, outside in the spring. Reading about the plant I knew that blooming takes a lot of energy. When you think the plant is dying, you will see blooms arrive. This year the mother plant has looked rather tired so I would check every two or three days. This morning I was excited to see multiple buds riddling the leaves, my heart sang.
Wow, that is pretty dang amazing! Beautiful and sad it only happens once a year! 🙁
It is sad that it happens only once a year, sometimes twice, we now have a few plants and I hope to coax one of them to do a spring bloom while others bloom more towards the fall. Keep checking in for updated photos.
Wow, gorgeous! How long do the blooms last?
Each bloom last only one night then they are gone for good.. Beautiful but sad..
Hi,
Thank you for posting these photos of your Cereus. I have been growing several types of plants from this family given to me as single leaves that took 7-9 months to root and begin to show above ground growth but now they are all well established and I eagerly await the first buds. I’d be interested in trading cuttings, I have about 6 different types of these epiphytes but have had a difficult time ascertaining their specific names, since most photos dwell on the flowers on not on the leaf characteristics. Thank you for including links to cultural information and identification…perhaps I’ll be able to identify these plants with further study. I live in nearby Starksboro, VT and I’d be happy to offer you fresh cuttings of any of my growing family. I found your blog via Dave’s Garden and if I am not mistaken you are perhaps only a half hour from me.
We are very close actually as I live right outside of Burlington, I would love to trade cuttings with you. I only have this one plant but since it is a very prolific grower there is much to share. I believe you need to have the plants long enough to become pot bound before they will bloom, much like a christmas cactus. Dave’s Garden is a great resource for information and seems to have the most photos of this plant that I have found online.
My Grandmother always had a Cereus, and when we grew up and have families of our on, We would have a family gathering, when it would bloom. She passed away and a few years later so did the plant. Has anyone seen baby Jesus in a cradle in the center of the bloom and the star above him? I would like to know where i can purchase one? I live in Chattanooga, Tn Thank You Debbie
Dave’s Garden might have some local sources for you to get one.. If not PM me your address and I will send you one, in the spring of course as it is too cold to ship plants now..
I have a young plant and I have a long “stem” growing out of the middle, it has little things on it and recently it has split into another long stem. not sure what is happening, any ideas?
They can get quite leggy if you let them.. Show me a photo of your plant and perhaps I can help..
[…] started a cutting and wondering about plant care, please see this earlier post regarding the Night Blooming Cereus which has plant care […]
I have a large Cereus which blooms several times a year with many flowers. One year it had 12 flowers…they all bloom at one time so it is quite an event. My concern is the leaves on the plant have began to “dry up” or something. They are brown and a very pale green instead of the deeper green they have been for several years. I have only transplanted one time about two years ago…was told they prefer to be somewhat root bound. The plant is too big for a houseplant so it lives on our front porch between rockers…nice location to view the blooms. I cover and use a heat lamp the few nights temps are going to approach 32 degrees here in North Florida. Use miracle gro fertilizer during summer waterings…when soil is dry. I have a second one that was rooted from the “sick” one several years ago and it seems to be OK. It also blooms several times a year with multiple flowers. Can you suggest what might be happening to the leaves?
Let me do a bit of research for you and see what I come up with.
I have a plant that just bloomed tonight with 3 blooms one to open tomorrow. Latest it ever boomed and has a different smell. Does anyone know if it is harmful humans?