Queen of the Night Cactus

We have all heard of celebrating parties with flowers (what bride would be without a bouquet?). But have you heard of celebrating a flower blossom with a party?

Meet the queen of the night cactus, Epiphyllum oxypetalum. This succulent blooms once a year at night.  It has creamy white flowers shaped like trumpets. The flower can reach up to 4 inches wide and 8 inches long. It is native to southern Mexico and parts of South America. This gardenia or magnolia scented flower will start to open early in the evening and start to fade by dawn. Its strong sweet smell will attract pollinators like birds and bugs. In its native habitat it would be up in the rainforest canopy living as an epiphyte. Its pollinators would be forest moths and bats. 

This plant was first discovered by botanist A. P. de Candolle in 1828.

In the south where these blooms occur naturally, people get together to drink and eat and wait for the blossoms to open. Its appeal is not just for gardeners but for anyone who loves a fragrant and beautiful flower.