Queen of the night, often called Dutchman’s pipe cactus, night princess or Epiphyllum oxypetlum is a type of cactus. It blooms at night, and its flowers fade before dawn. This perennial grows up to ten feet tall.
It is a succulent plant that relies on other plants for support and thrives in hardiness zones 10 and 11. Their stems are numerously branched, erect, ascending, scandent or spreading. The main stem is laterally flattened, terete, up to 6 m long and linear at the base.
Its flowers grow on flattened stems and are 30 cm long and 17 cm wide, nocturnal and very fragrant. Their flowery scent mostly consists of benzyl salicylate and methyl linoleate.
Queen Of The Night Flower Plant
One of the most widely cultivated cactus in the genus is the Queen of the Night, often referred to as the Brahma Lotus. It sometimes blooms only at night, and before daylight, its flowers wither.
The jungle cactus, which is native to Mexico and South America, is known as the “queen of the night flower.” Those who quickly lose their fertility. It produces beautiful white flowers at night that have a powerful sweetness to them.
This cactus requires more water than the common cactus because it thrives in a humid environment rather than a scorching, dry environment. Queen Of The Night is often grown on trees in its natural environment.
Queen Of The Night Flower Plant Overview
- Botanical Name: Epiphyllum oxypetalum
- Common Name: Queen of the Night, Night Queen, Night Blooming Cereus
- Family: Cactaceae
- Plant Type: Succulent, jungle cactus
- Mature Size: Up To 10 Ft.
- Sun Exposure: Bright indirect light
- Soil Type: Slightly acidic.
- Soil pH: 5.5 To 6.5
- Bloom Time: Late Spring into Summer, Night Blooming
- Flower Color: White, Red, Pink, Purple
- Hardiness Zones: 10-11 (USDA)
- Native Area: Mexico and South America
Queen Of The Night Flower Plant Species
The Cactus in the cereus family, which bloom at night, include a flower known as the Queen of the Night. There are several species.
Red Orchid Cactus: This species is frequently grown indoors. In well-drained soil with indirect sunshine, red orchid cacti thrive.
Vanilla Cactus: Succulents with large flowers, which are pleasantly scented Vanilla Cactus. Easy-to-grow flowers develop multiple flowers in late spring or early summer that open for several evenings but bloom for only one night.
Peruvian Apple Cactus: The gray-green to blue stems of this cactus can measure 4″ to 8″. From late spring through early October, it blooms.
Hooker’s Orchid: Their leaves have rounded edges and smooth yet wrinkled surfaces. The foliage produced by its plants is a loose pile of long, flat, strappy leaves that creates a lovely sculptural look.
Dragon Fruit Cactus: This cactus produces tasty bright pink fruits that are covered in huge white blossoms with a yellow core.
How To Grow Queen Of The Night Flower Plant
Grow night-blooming cereus as houseplants everywhere to survive the hottest climates. Being a member of the cactus family, this plant needs open air to grow freely. Give it a summer outdoor area with filtered light or early sun.
This plant needs healthy soil to grow, so it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance. After planting in the garden, the queen’s queen needs special attention. Keep the plants out of the noon sun once they emerge since it might cause the leaves to burn.
In spring and summer, plants produce an abundance of new growth. Water frequently, but allow the soil to dry completely between applications. Use a water-soluble plant food to fertilize the plant every 10 to 14 days.
Pruning
Pruning should be done in the spring before it grows back. Then you may start a new plant using the leaf cuttings. There is not much trimming required for the queen of the night. In order for the plant to use nutrients for good growth, remove dead blossoms and branches.
Use sterilised scissors or pruning shears to remove any dead or discoloured leaves. Remove any plant portions that are dead or withering near to healthy, green tissue.
Yellow tissue should never be cut since it might transmit bacterial infections. The plant is encouraged to grow bushy and full by routine trimming.
Propagation
This plant can be easily reproduced. Using a leaf clipper, you may start a new plant. The cut should be between 4 and 6 inches long, and the tip must be dipped in rooting hormone to aid in the plant’s germination.
The plant should be planted in the ground and allowed to grow for two weeks after being allowed to dry in a cool, dark area. When the plant is in the ground, skip 10 days of weekly watering. A shoot can be clipped and transferred to create a new plant once it reaches an appropriate size.
Queen Of The Night Flower Plant Care
The special flowering plant is called the “Queen of the Night”. Queen of the night funnel-shaped blooms have pure white petals and a pleasant fragrance. This type of succulent plant needs special attention. The queen of night flowers will produce more blooms throughout the season thanks to the morning sun.
It is crucial to keep in mind that the cactus is the queen of night flowers so avoid overwatering it. Allow the top 3/4 of the potting mix to dry, before misting the plant with warm water from the top of the soil layer.
Feed the queen of flowers in spring, with fish mix or a similar high-nitrogen organic fertilizer. Avoid fertilizing them when they are blooming to prevent stem growth from replacing the flowers. Once the stems are attached to a trellis or other plant, do not disturb them.
Soil And Fertilizer
This particular plant will thrive in well-drained, open soil. Due to the fact that sandy soil, peat moss, and pine bark are all excellent at draining excess water away from the roots, they will also grow rather well in these conditions.
This plant doesn’t require a lot of room in the container; in fact, when it is root-bound, it often grows even better. Queen of the night should get liquid fertilizer once a month during growth seasons.
When repotting in the spring or fall, a little quantity of slow-release fertilizer can be thoroughly incorporated into the soil. The concentration of fertilizer need to be as low as feasible.
Light And Water
It grows best in moist compost that has been allowed to dry halfway between watering’s. Because root rot from overwatering is a serious concern for those living in dark rooms, rehydrating is only necessary when the soil is primarily dry.
When the plant is growing or blooming, use only warm water to avoid trauma to its delicate root system. The ideal type of light for the night cactus flower to bloom is indirect sunlight.
Maximum lighting is indirect, bright; But, a little morning sun won’t hurt much. The cards should not be left out in direct sunlight for longer than two hours since the sun may bleach them.
Temperature and Humidity
You can find Queen of the Night in tropical and semi-arid regions with little rain, bright sunshine and scorching temperatures. 20 to 35 °C is the ideal temperature for growth.
Growth slows and dormancy occurs below 10 °C or above 35 °C. The environment should be adequately ventilated and the air humidity should not be too high.
If you want to keep humidity levels above 50%, spritz the plants with water or bring in a humidifier. In addition to watering twice a week, spray the plant once a week if you live in an arid region.
Pests and Diseases
Black powder or fungal leaf spot are examples of diseases and pests that are queen of the night. Brown and black spots on leaves are symptoms of this disease. Fungicides are used to treat disease.
Queen of the night can be damaged by mealybugs, mites, aphids and slugs. The powerful stream of water can be used to control several pests, including mites and mealybugs. Fruit flies that can find a wonderful home for the queen of the night can be caught with sticky traps.
Read Also: Vinca Plant: The Perfect Way To Add Beauty To Your Garden
