Dutchman's Pipe Cactus, Night blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)
side view
This picture was taken at 6:30 am. The flower is still open on a chilly morning.
Hand in picture to show size of this beauty!
This is a plant few even know about. Each giant bud blooms only one night. The bud slowly swells until one afternoon you know for sure "tonight will be the night!" and you can invite your friends over for the gala event. Then about an hour after dark it happens, this beauty opens to delight all present with a sight and aroma few expenience in their lifetime. Truly a sight to behold.
This is a picture of my night blooming cereus. It has had as many as 23 blooms at a time.
I was just given this plant a few days ago - I think it got too large for the previous owners. This picture was taken during the day, so it doesn't show off the blooms, but it does show how big these can get!
This is a sequence of 4 photos, showing the opening over 4 hours.
My Mother was given a start of this plant when I was 8 yrs. old.Mother gave me the plant in 1977 and I have divided it several times. Somewhere in these pots is a 50+ yr. old root. I have learned how to care for mine by trial and error. I did learn two very important thing. 1. they bloom better if they are root bound. 2. If you pinch the tips off of the long shoots it will force them to make more leaves, instead of growing long and producing 1 or 2 leafs on the end. If you look closely at the picture you will see that there are 2 pots here. Each pot has a tomato stake in it that the stems are tied up to and that is what gives mine the cascade leaf look. Feel free to write if you have any questions on the care of this plant. [email protected]
Here is a picture of the fruit that the night blooming cereus grows after blooming. It is supposed to be edible but it didn't have much taste. Probably fell before maturity. The wasp really like this plant.
Recently rooted cuttings.
Close up of the flower. I noticed a "track" of stamens on the way to the entrance of the tube. The insect needs to land on there and walk over all those anthers to get the nectar inside, covering itself with pollen. Rio de Janeiro, early summer.
General aspect of my plant when it was blooming for the first time. Rio de Janeiro, early summer.
This shot very early, at dawn.
I own this Night Blooming Cereus in Carlsbad CA pictured 7/4/04
plant was cutting taken year before
New bud about 2.5 inches in it's 6th day. My first, I'm praying that it fully blooms.
my beautiful although non-blooming epi
Sideview at 6:30am. The flower is still open on a cool morning.
Epi, as she is affectionately called, gave us our first bloom June 24, 2005
Picture on our cool deck by the pool
My first bloom,on my Night Blooming Cereus
The flower usually opens after dark and closes before daylight. Occasionally it will be open in the morning.
Usually before sunrise the flower begins to close
Bud (early stage, 8x zoom)
16th day, still growing (now 21 cm)
19th day (29 cm)
fully developed bud, opens tonight
fully open
cutting taken two years ago!!! Only just begain to rapidly grow.
My Night Blooming Cerus plant is over 125 years old. I have had my small cutting that grows like a weed for 2 years.
Epiphyllum oxipetalum October 2005
slightly fogged lens and a small LED keychain lite yielded this image
flower
you have to see it live to capture the beauty of this flower
9.30PM 16th March 2006 A hot balmy night in Perth. One of 6 blooms making a brief appearance.
Spectacular blooms - this plant has grown 25 feet up our Live Oak tree and produces numerous flowers.
Queen of the Night ~ She earns her name ~ Mine is showing off again !
Queen of the Night ~ There is no other plant/blossoms so Spectacular as this one .
Unretouched photo; my husband was shining the flashlight from behind. (Bloomed 8/14)
More pics of this plant: www.chumchurch.org/cereus/cereus.htm & www.chumchurch.org/cereus/cereus2.htm
Although my Cereus doesn't much care for the climate in Iowa, this is the second bloom he produced this summer.
This plant started from a clipping 125 years ago. Last night's bloom. 1 of 3.
This plant started from a clipping 125 years ago. Last night's bloom. 2 of 3.
This plant started from a clipping 125 years ago. Last night's bloom. 3 of 3.
Bloomed again on 8/15/2006. Next image shows previous night's blossom (above).
Set up dramatic lighting for your NBC...just block your camera's flash a bit with your finger when you take the pic!
the night of blooming
Third flush of the season.
September blooms
The fragrance is intoxicating.
September blooms
I have three plants from three separate sources, and they are all blooming at the exact same time.
Queen of the Night in France - She was born in September in my own ''Jardin d'hiver'
Queen of the Night - Open few hours only for our pleasure and to admire her perfection and to praise her beauty
illuminated with a flashlight
The fragrance of the angels
First bloom since I have had it, im so happy.
Ther great trio of May 2007
With the moon in the background. As if to prove that it blooms at night!
Night Blooming Cereus
Night Blooming Cereus grown indoors WA state.
Queen of the Night
Our Epi photo was taken this week; it lasted 2 days with a prop holding it up. Also called "Christ in the Manger", How'd it get this name? We see a choir of angels or Christ preaching to his flock.
Closeup of 3 simultaneous blooms. Live in CT and it always blooms within a day of the summer solstice
Five year old Night Bloomer... I think. She has had five blooms these summer nights and budding with 7 more this week. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Epiphyllum oxypetalum blooming in a pot (living outdoors in San Diego)
Epiphyllum oxypetalum flower from close up
Epiphyllum oxypetalum - the day before The Night, the flowers are ready
2 blooms earlyl stage 7/14//08 TN
Tennessee July, 2008
First 2 of 5 to bloom in my Denver, Colorado home on July 31, 2008 after 9 years.
She finally bloomed! The smell was so heady and sweet, you could literally feel it radiate from this crystalline beauty!!
after the blooming eve
Night Blooming Cereus... Picure of front and back.
Note multiple "veins" supplying extra nutrients to the flower bud. The flower is quite a production for this plant.
Down the rabbit hole. This is a very deep-throated flower.
This flower makes it so easy to take stunning photographs. With a flashlight, manual exposure.
the mysterious "pod"
my first bloom - worth staying up for
Baby bud just beginning
1 week after first photo of emerging bud
Well worth waiting for....
Gorgeous display - huge bloom larger then my hand with such a beautiful fragrance
Bud progression at 10:00 p.m.
Back view 10:40 p.m.
11:00 p.m.
6/13/09 11:45 p.m. First time I've seen my E. oxypetalum bloom!
First Bud! June 13, 2009
This was taken the evening of August 4, 2009
Another bloom on August 4, 2009 Southern Interior of British Columbia
Collage of four blooms one night
Side view with black background
Full plant with flower4 in bloom Night blooming cereus
Isnt she a beauty This is the flower by itself Night blooming cereus
About 11am in October
Bumble bees go crazy in the flowers, rolling around on their backs
June 2010
in bloom tonight (July 10, 2010.) on my sister's 18th birthday!
the scent is truly haunting!
My favorite plant!
A late blooming NBC. This is its 3rd repeating blooms for the year. First wave came during early and mid summer.
Almost Fully Open
Bud ready to start opening
Back of an opening bud
Side view
the day before they open
White, burst into bloom after a heavy rain.
The white Cereus silhouetted against the early morning sky...
This is our Queen of the Night orchid cactus
Night blooming cereus with a varigated bromeliad in the background
new buds, only 1/2 to 3/4 inches
more mature buds, these are approximately 3 1/2 to 4 inches long
Strange-looking red bloom - never saw this before. It's hard to the touch.
I gave my friend a cutting of my Night-Blooming Cereus. Look what it grew into!
A beautiful bloom on my friend's Night-Blooming Cereus plant, in Belle Rose, La.
Just keeps on blooming; summer in the shade and move them to the greenhouse in the winter
Blooms. Richmond TX, z9a, 09/23/2015
Growing in hanging basket. Richmond TX, z9a, 09/23/2015
6 full blooms before pollination!
side views of open flower showing neck (Dutchman's pipe stem) and bud above and behind
next day shot of side view of open flower and bud above
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About
Dutchman's Pipe Cactus, Night blooming Cereus
Epiphyllum oxypetalum
| Type: | Cactus and Succulents |
| Height: | 8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m) |
| Conditions: | Zone 11, Sun to Partial Shade, Light Shade |
