fag of the night is a flowering cactus with sprawling waxy stems that can grow up to 20 ft . ( 6 m ) long and raise sensational big ashen showy bloom one night in the year . So , although queen of the nighttime cactus acquire peak , it rarely blooms . When the orchid cactus produces flowers , they only come forth at Nox and wilt disease before the good morning . The dark - blooming feature and its stunning flowers make this plant life popular for tropic garden or as a houseplant .
The queen of the night blossom cactus can be dodgy to develop and bloom . This clause is a guidebook to caring for this beautifulorchid cactusto increase the chance of flower one time in the year .
How to Plant Queen of the Night Cactus
Plant faggot of the Nox cactus in well - drained dirt that is slightly acidulent and retains wet . To increase the chances of bloom , farm the orchid cactus in brilliant , indirect light and ensure the temperature is at least 64 ° F ( 18 ° C ) . In wintertime , drop the temperature to 60 ° F ( 16 ° coulomb ) for eight weeks .
outside , industrial plant fagot of the Nox cactus in the ground where there is mottled sunlight . The orchid cactus will thrive in USDA zones 10 to 12 . Keep the ground moist , especially during hot summertime twenty-four hours when there ’s little rain .
About the Queen of the Night Plant (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) – Night Blooming Cereus
fagot of the night ( Epiphyllum oxypetalum ) is classified as an orchid cactus
The queen mole rat of the Nox ( Epiphyllum oxypetalum ) is a mount perennial orchid cactus mintage aboriginal to tropic regions of the human beings . Outdoors , the queen of the night is found in Southern Mexico , South America , and many parts of Asia . The beautiful cactus is often grown as a houseplant indoors .
The botanic name for queen of the night indicates it ’s an epiphytic industrial plant . This mean that the thick succulent leaves deduce nutrients and moisture from the air and surrounding environment .
The queen of the night is classified as an orchid cactus . The industrial plant stores wet in its flattened , fleshy , succulent parting , like allspecies of cacti . The beautiful large , fragrant white flower gives this industrial plant its name of orchid cactus as the bloom has all thebeauty of orchid flowers .
Other common names for queen of the night plant admit princess of the night , Dutchman ’s pipe cactus , night - blooming cereus , and lady of the dark .
What is Cereus?
Cereus is a genus in the cactus family that include several cactus specie , many of which flower at night . Although the queen of the Nox plant does n’t belong to the genusCereus , because it is a night - blooming cactus , it is also called a dark - blooming cereus . Epiphyllum oxypetalumalso shares other growth habits with species of cereus cacti , such as being an epiphytic cactus .
Queen of the Night Cactus Flower (Cereus Flower)
Close up images of queen of the dark flower
The arresting queen of the night cactus flower is a showy white prime up to 12 ” ( 30 cm ) prospicient and 8 ” ( 20 cm ) wide . The loving cup - shaped nocturnal bloom comprises of 20 to 30 ovate , snowy - blank petals , with a shaft of livid petals work a sensation - shaped saucer .
queer of the nighttime cactus flowers emit a powerful sweet-flavored - smelling , flowered scent when they bloom one dark in the class . The aroma is so potent that it can fill a room . It is said that the perfume of queen of the night plant flowers growing outdoors can be detected a fourth part of a mile out ( 400 MiB ) .
How to make Queen of the Night bloom
Queen of the night cactus flowers need specific conditions to bloom .
Growing indoors , the nocturnal cactus orchid needs bright , indirect Christ Within to bloom . If growing outdoors , then partial shadiness is necessary . The flowering cactus necessitate to be in bright indirect light and temperatures between 40 ° F to 60 ° F ( 4.5 ° C – 15.5 ° C ) to bloom in wintertime . Additionally , low - nitrogen cactus fertilizer can further blooming during summertime .
Another tip to encourage the queen of the nighttime orchid to bloom is to keep it in a relatively humble great deal . Blooming is good if the orchid cactus is slenderly rootbound .
Queen of the night cactus flowers usually commence blooming at between 8 and 10 pm and take two to three hours to spread in full . However , by dawning , the spectacular white flower will close and then wilt . Blooming usually take seat in June and July .
Queen of the Night Cactus Fruit
A pollinated poove of the night cactus produces purplish - red oblong edible yield 2 ” ( 5 centimetre ) long . The red or pinkish skin surrounds a bloodless fleshy center that contains calamitous seeds . Some mass say the cactus yield taste like tartar fruit or pitaya .
Queen of the Night Cactus Plant Care
even care throughout the year is the practiced way to secure your queen of the night works expand and bloom regularly . The three indispensable component for salubrious orchidaceous plant cactus growth are fair to middling sunlight , moist well - drain land , and regular fertilization .
Let ’s look in more detail at how to handle for a tabby of the night orchidaceous plant .
Queen of the Night Cactus Light Requirements
queen regnant of the night cactus boom in brilliant , indirect sun and needs about six hour of bright light daily . If growing the orchid cactus indoors , place it on a south - face windowsill with protection from the good afternoon sunshine . If planted in the ground , the queen of the night works should be in mottled shade .
Bright light is crucial for a queen of the night industrial plant to bloom . Throughout the twelvemonth — including winter — the fagot of the night cactus orchidaceous plant needs plenty of light . The best light is the dawning sun . A lack of sunlight will have in mind that the plant life rarely — if ever — blooms .
How to Water Queen of the Night Cactus Plants
It is all important to water the queen of the night cactus regularly to keep the soil moist . In summertime , it may be necessary to water the dirt every week . In winter , you’re able to irrigate it less . Before lachrymation , check that the top 1 ” ( 2.5 cm ) of soil is ironic .
Unlikedesert plants , the orchid cactus is notdrought tolerantand does n’t execute well if the primer coat is leave behind to dry out . wry soil atmospheric condition can also affect flower and be one reasonableness this nocturnal bloomer never produces any flowers .
It is also vital to prevent the queen of the night cactus from sitting in damp , soggy soil . Too much wet in the potting ground can lead to root decompose and stimulate the flat , succulent provide to be yellow . Waterlogged soil can also cause the queen of the nighttime to kick the bucket .
Here are some ready to hand care tips if you are growing queen of the night in a container indoors or outside :
Related reading : How to water houseplants aright .
The Best Soil for Growing Queen of the Night Cactus
tabby of the night cactus boom in well - drained territory that is slightly acidic and holds some moisture . The idealistic potting soil for a cactus orchid growing indoors is an equal mix ofpeat moss , perlite , and orchid bark . or else , you’re able to use a commercial cactus mix amended with perlite .
The goal of creating a suitable growing medium for a queen of the nighttime cactus is for the stain to hold some moisture yet drain freely . Peat moss is idealistic for holding in some wet . The addition of orchid bark andperlite improves drainageand gift the roots way to grow .
Night - blooming orchid cacti are pop in an outdoor rock garden where they expand in arenaceous grunge . Always ensure that the priming coat is kept moist , and supply extra watering on raging , dry summertime daytime to further nighttime blooming .
Temperature for Queen of the Night Cactus
tropic plants such as the queen of the dark plant thrive in temperature between 50 ° F and 90 ° F ( 10 ° one C – 32 ° coulomb ) . The minimal temperature for cactus orchids is 40 ° F ( 4.5 ° C ) . During winter , it ’s necessary to endanger a pansy of the night to cooler temperatures . However , any temperature below 35 ° F ( 1.7 ° C ) will damage the cactus ’ growth .
As an indoor industrial plant , a cactus orchid performs best in mediocre room temperature 65 ° F to 75 ° F ( 18 ° C – 24 ° F ) . In winter , move the cactus flora to a cooler position where it ’s 60 ° F to 65 ° F ( 16 ° ampere-second – 18 ° C ) during the day and 45 ° F to 55 ° F ( 7 ° century – 13 ° carbon ) during the dark for eight calendar week to help the efflorescence buds develop .
Growing in the ground , the faggot of the night cactus boom in USDA zone 10 to 12 . So if you have this beautiful cactus in your garden , it ’s vital to protect it from the intense afternoon sun during the summer calendar month .
In temperate climates , you’re able to raise a queen of the night cactus outdoors in the summer in grass . Thetrailing succulent stemsand nocturnal flowers depend attractive in hang basketful on a terrace , deck , or balcony . Orchid cacti are not dusty - hardy , so bring the plant life back indoors when the temperature drops below 60 ° F ( 16 ° C ) .
Humidity Requirements for Queen of the Night Cactus
pansy of the night cactus performs well in ordinary household humidness . As long as the indoor proportional humidness is between 40 and 50 percentage , the cactus should expand . To increase humidness , place the cactus orchid on a pebble and piss tray if the air is particularly dry .
There are rarely any problems of humidity when get a queen mole rat of the night cactus in the ground .
How to Fertilize Queen of the Night Cactus to Encourage Blooming
A fagot of the night cactus flower well if the plant gets regular fecundation throughout the class . In springtime and fall , apply a balanced diluted fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10 - 10 - 10 . In February , use a low - nitrogen plant food with an NPK proportion of 2 - 10 - 10 to further blossom .
During the queen of the night cactus ’ blooming time during summertime , hold off applying fertilizer and keep the potting soil moist but not too soggy .
related to reading : The good indoor plant fertiliser .
Pruning Queen of the Night Cactus
It ’s rarely necessary to rationalize the succulent leaves of a queen of the night cactus . The reasons to prune the sarcoid root of an orchid cactus let in grapple its size or removing yellowing or give out stems . To prune a queen of the nighttime cactus , hack back the stem to the required size using sharp , sterilised creature .
Propagating Queen of the Night Cactus Houseplants
foliage press clipping are the best way to propagate a queen of the dark cactus . The best cuttings for orchid cactus propagation are ones with bantam hair - like ascendent on the base margins . However , stems without these roots will still grow but may take longer to propagate .
To propagate a queen of the night cactus , cut an total healthy leaf from the works . Then cut the leaf into 6 ” ( 15 cm ) sections and cut back a ‘ V ’ human body at the bottom part of the leaf cutting . localize the cactus cuttings flavourless on damp grunge and put them in a colored , cool place for a week . This allows the cut end to callosity over .
While the callus is forming , lightly becloud the stems every other day to provide some moisture . After the callus has formed , place the cuttings directly in the soil . Ensure that the ‘ V ’ end go into the grime 2 ” ( 5 cm ) deep . Then set the leaves in a bright location where it ’s at least 64 ° F ( 18 ° C ) .
When roots have started to form on your cuttings , you could transfer the individual propagated stems to a separate throne .
How to Repot Queen of the Night Cactus
Queen of the Nox cactus blooms well when it ’s rootbound . So , you wo n’t need to repot the blossom cactus often . Typically , only repot the cactus orchidaceous plant if there are obvious signs of short drainage . Repotting too often can accentuate the root word and ensue in poor bloom during summertime .
If you adjudicate to repot the queen of the dark cactus , piss it 24 hour before the cognitive process . This avail reduce shock to the etymon . opt a flowerpot that is one or two sizing large than the current one . And always use a fresh potting commixture with plenty of perlite and orchid barque to create a suitable potting spiritualist .
Pests Affecting Queen of the Night Cactus Growth
The main pests to look out for on a faggot of the night cactus arespider mites , mealybugs , scurf , andwhitefly . To get rid of bugs from your orchid cactus , habituate aDIY neem oil solution . You should also isolate the give chase cactus plant from other houseplants to prevent infecting other plant .
To get disembarrass of pests , mix 2 tsp . neem rock oil with 1 tsp . liquid Castile scoop in a quart ( 1 l ) of water in a nebuliser bottle and mix well . Spray the queen of the night stanch with the neem oil solution to kill the bugs . Repeat the pest nebulizer once a calendar week for salutary results until all sign of pests are run .
related to recitation : Learn how to blot the planetary house of houseplant pests .
Disease Affecting Queen of the Night Cactus Growth
The main disease affecting the world-beater of the nighttime cactus is root rot . radical start decay if the succulent is in miry ground or stain for too long . The best means to debar molder tooth root is to irrigate the orchid cactus only when the ground is partly dry . However , do n’t let the land dry out out between watering as this could attract spider pinch .
Powdery mold await like a white powdery substance on the queen of the night cactus stems . This harmless term is usually the result of overly humid conditions . Please tick off out this article to learn how totreat powdery mildew .
Queen of the Night Cactus Care — FAQs
Is Queen of the Night poisonous?
poove of the dark is not classed as a toxic plant . So , get a cactus orchid as an indoor houseplant or in your garden wo n’t lay a peril to cats , dogs , or other animals .
Why does Queen of the Night only bloom at night?
It is thought that Nox - flower cereus only blooms at dark to cut contender for pollinators . This way , the nocturnal orchidaceous plant cactus ’s sugared scent , and bright white flowers attract moths , allowing the plant to bring on more fruit .
How do you know when Queen of the Night will bloom?
It is n’t easy to bed on which day a queen of the night will bring out its spectacular large blanched scented flowers that last one Nox . However , cactus orchidaceous plant bloom in summer and only at night . So typically , on the one night when flowers appear , you’re able to gestate blooming to start after 8 pm , and it will eat up by 6 am .
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