Several years ago a friend of a friend gave her a plant. I forgot what she called it but the friend had divided her plant in half and gave my friend a big pot – half her plant. Then I was over my friend’s house watering her plants when they were gone and there was one little broken piece so I picked it up, brought it home and stuck it in a little flimsy pot. My plant has now grown and busted out of the pot . . every day I look at that plant and remember the trouble I’m having buttoning my jeans! 🙂
I think the plant is a member of the night blooming cereus family. I need to ask my friend what she called it . . she used a name. I see several common names on the internet but none of those ring a bell.
It blooms at night and by morning, the blooms are usually gone. I’ve seen blooms that are almost ready to open and then the next day, they’re shriveled up but after three or four years of having this plant, this weekend, I passed by it in the middle of the morning and there it was . . a beautiful full bloom.
Night Bloom
I went back to the house to get my phone so I could grab a picture. About an hour later, I ran into Vince in the yard and I said “Come see this beautiful flower!” and when we walked over there, it was already shriveled up . . gone. Thank goodness I had the picture.
I’m sure when I pick it up to move it into the greenhouse for the winter, the flimsy, broken plastic pot is going to fall apart so I’m going to get a nicer, bigger pot and transplant it. I’ll also pay a bit more attention to it and see if I can get to see more blooms.
A lot of what I read on the internet said they were fragrant. Maybe because mine was at the end of the life cycle, but it wasn’t very fragrant. But, it’s definitely beautiful!
Sherrill Pecere says
That is REALLY pretty! I have a moon flower that’s also beautiful. Do the leaves look like a succulent (under in the pix)?
Donna inKS says
It is beautiful! Again, thank you for sharing.
Lee Young says
Before I clicked through via the link you provided, I thought “epiphyllum”. Yep, that’s in the list. I have a variety that also desperately needs to be re-potted (though they do love to be root-bound). Mine blooms during the day though with blooms that last for several days and are pink – pretty standard variety. I did not know about the night-blooming one; it’s very pretty. I hope you get many more blooms in the future!
Vivian Oaks says
Love it!! That’s a really pretty flower!! Too bad it wasn’t a very fragrant one. Good luck re-potting it.
Carolyn says
I shared this with my Sister who lives in Houston, asked her if this was her plant. I thought I had seen a pic of hers. Here’s what she said: “Yes, and there are hundreds of varietals. They bloom as a last resort when they think they’re going to die from too much rain and being pot bound. Mine have had such a wet summer they have bloomed over and over again! Although some of them are exquisitely perfumed, mine smell of carrion and are probably pollenated by flies in their natural environment.”
April R says
This reminded me that I got a succulent cutting from my boyfriend’s mom on Monday and my boyfriend put it in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel for me. In the chaos of my week, I don’t know where I put it. He told her we would come back and getting cuttings when ready and next thing I know I have a cutting. Hopefully I remember by the time I get home, find it, and put it in a pot.