Overview

Introduce a touch of nocturnal magic to your home with the night blooming cactus live plant, scientifically known as Epiphyllum oxypetalum. This tropical epiphyte, often referred to as the Queen of the Night plant, is renowned for its breathtakingly beautiful and intensely fragrant white flowers that unfurl only after dusk and typically last a single night. Originating from rainforest environments, this unique member of the cactus family thrives in conditions different from arid desert cacti, requiring more consistent moisture. Our offering is a healthy night blooming cactus live plant, ready to bring its dramatic floral display to your collection. It’s a truly special plant for anyone who appreciates rare and exotic botanicals.

The Epiphyllum oxypetalum is not just about its stunning flowers; its unique growth habit as an epiphyte or lithophyte, deriving nutrients from air and debris, makes it a fascinating specimen. While it naturally grows on trees in its native habitat, it adapts wonderfully to container living, making it an excellent choice for indoor cultivation or shaded outdoor areas in warmer climates. This night blooming cactus live plant is a conversation starter and a rewarding plant to cultivate, promising an unforgettable experience with each bloom.

Key Benefits

The night blooming cactus live plant offers several compelling benefits, making it a cherished addition to any plant enthusiast’s collection. Its unique flowering habit and relative ease of care contribute to its widespread appeal, especially for those looking for something truly extraordinary.

• Spectacular Night Blooms: The primary allure of the night blooming cactus live plant is its enormous, showy white flowers. These highly fragrant blossoms open only once at night, creating a dramatic and ephemeral spectacle that is truly unforgettable.
• Intoxicating Fragrance: Beyond their visual appeal, the flowers emit a powerful, sweet fragrance that can fill an entire room, making the experience of witnessing a bloom even more enchanting. This is a key characteristic of the Epiphyllum oxypetalum care experience.
• Unique Growth Habit: As an epiphyte, it offers an interesting growth form with flattened stems rather than true leaves, adding an exotic touch to your plant display.
• Relatively Easy Care: Despite its exotic appearance, the Queen of the Night plant is surprisingly unfussy when its basic needs for light, water, and soil are met, making it suitable for both experienced and novice growers.
• Potential for Edible Fruit: If pollinated, the flowers can develop into oblong, purple/red fruits, adding another interesting dimension to the plant’s life cycle.
• Adaptable to Containers: This tropical cactus thrives in pots, making it perfect for patios, balconies, or indoor settings where it can be protected from cold temperatures.
• Long-Lived Plant: With proper care, the Epiphyllum oxypetalum can be a long-term companion, providing many years of beautiful blooms and enjoyment, making it a valuable tropical cactus for pots.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper Epiphyllum oxypetalum care is crucial for ensuring your night blooming cactus live plant thrives and produces its magnificent flowers. Unlike desert cacti, this tropical epiphyte requires a different approach to watering and light. It prefers a well-drained succulent or cactus soil mix, which allows for good aeration while retaining some moisture. When watering, soak the soil completely, allowing excess water to drain away, then let the top layer of soil dry out before watering again. Frequent watering is generally needed during the growing season, but this should be reduced significantly during winter dormancy, perhaps to once or twice a month.

For lighting, the Queen of the Night plant prefers partial shade or bright, indirect light. Direct, harsh sunlight, especially during the hottest parts of the day, can scorch its delicate stems. If growing indoors, an east or north-facing window is often ideal, or a spot where it receives filtered light. Maintain temperatures above the mid-30s Fahrenheit (around 2-3°C); bring the plant indoors when temperatures drop to protect it from cold. Fertilize during the growing season (spring through mid-summer) with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Keep an eye out for common pests like mealybugs or scale, and address them promptly. With diligent Epiphyllum oxypetalum care, your plant will reward you with its stunning fragrant night blooming flowers.

Size & Details

This offering is for a healthy night blooming cactus live plant, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, supplied in a 4-inch nursery pot. The plant will be similar in size and vigor to the images provided, ready to establish itself in its new home. Typically, these plants can grow quite large over time, with flattened stems reaching several feet in length. A mature plant can produce flowers from spring through mid-summer, providing multiple opportunities to witness its spectacular blooms. The plant will be shipped securely to ensure it arrives in excellent condition, ready for continued growth and eventual flowering. It’s an ideal size for starting your own collection of tropical cactus for pots.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: A mature night blooming cactus live plant can produce flattened stems several feet long. While it arrives in a 4-inch pot, it will eventually need a larger container to accommodate its growth.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Epiphyllum oxypetalum is a tropical plant. It can be grown outdoors in warm climates (USDA zones 9-11) in partial shade but should be brought indoors when temperatures drop below the mid-30s Fahrenheit. It makes an excellent indoor plant.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This plant prefers bright, indirect light or partial shade. Avoid direct, intense sunlight, especially during the hottest parts of the day, as it can burn the stems.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: With proper Epiphyllum oxypetalum care, which includes consistent watering (allowing the topsoil to dry), good drainage, and indirect light, it is considered relatively easy to care for and rewarding for its stunning blooms.
• Q: When does the Queen of the Night plant bloom? A: A mature Queen of the Night plant typically produces its fragrant night blooming flowers from spring through mid-summer. The blooms open only at night and last for just one night.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your night blooming cactus live plant will arrive well-packaged in its 4-inch nursery pot, similar in size and health to the product pictures, ready for you to continue its care.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for a tropical cactus for pots? A: A well-draining succulent or cactus soil mix is ideal. This type of soil provides the necessary drainage while still retaining some moisture, mimicking its natural rainforest habitat.
• Q: Can the fruits be eaten? A: Yes, if pollinated, the flowers can produce 5-inch long, oblong, purple/red fruits which are generally considered edible.
• Q: How often should I water my night blooming cactus live plant? A: Water thoroughly when the top of the soil dries out. In warmer months, this might be more frequent. Reduce watering significantly in winter to 1-2 times per month.
• Q: Is this plant suitable for beginners? A: Yes, with attention to its specific watering and light requirements, the Epiphyllum oxypetalum can be a rewarding plant for beginners looking for something unique.