Night-blooming

Cereus Cuttings

| Flower Roberts

If you have ever seen a Night Blooming Cereus in flower, you will want one.

My Wondrous Cereus

My friend Madge, The Fairy, gave me my plant years ago. Since then I have shared plants with others. I have read about several ways to root cuttings. Last fall I tried several methods and all were successful. The new way was just cut pieces and stick them in water. I do this with other plants but usually harden off cacti and succulents and then stick them in quick draining soil. There are warnings about some cuttings rotting in water.

Here is proof that Cereus pieces root instead of rot if places in water.

Now I potted the pieces and will let them adjust to being semi-dry.

FLOWER does not always believe what others tell her.

Waiting for the Last Bloom

| Flower Roberts

I have missed so much this summer. I was determined not to miss the last bloom of my precious Night Blooming Cereus. It is one of my magic plants. It reminds me there are still miracles.

I missed its first bloom several weeks ago. The second set of six bloomed Friday night. I was blessed with one last bud at the bottom of the plant. Tucked behind another spent bloom, I almost did not see it.

It turned up its neck yesterday to form a pipe-like shape. This signals it is ready to bloom.

I prepared the space for my late night visit by putting a lawn chair in the proper place. I set a flashlight by the door. Set out my camera and phone.

I quietly descended the stairs around 9:30PM. I thought that I might be a bit early, but it had all ready started to open.

I sat patiently in my chair listening to the insect orchestra accompanied by the quiet percussion of a light rain. Becoming hypnotized by the gentle swaying of this angel-white bloom in the breeze.

I was spending time with a living treasure that marks time by blooming only once each year.

I thought of the other years I had sat in the dark with this plant waiting for its miracle and wishing for other miracles. I am grateful for this green beacon in my garden. Making me pause and wait. Making me wonder. Holding me in its time and place.

There could not be a more beautiful flower.

FLOWER

My Wondrous Cereus

| Flower Roberts

I saw the most beautiful sight I have ever seen last night in my garden. I witnessed this wonder alone at midnight.

I consider this plant a miracle. I believe its flowers are a living link to something magic and cosmic.

My friend The Fairy(Madge) gave me this dream of a plant. I thought of her and my father last night as I sat under the stars watching these blooms quiver with energy. My daddy sometimes exclaimed “How could heaven be better than this?” I cannot imagine that, Bop.

I knew this second blooming from this plant was coming. That has never happened before. The buds turned up like pipes and started expanding two days ago.

When I saw the shape last evening, I knew this was the night. I was determined not to miss it, so I set my alarm. I could not go to sleep. I decided to go sit beside the plant in the dark and wait.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Its flowers were almost fully opened. They were quivering. There was no breeze. The blooms have their own energy.

The white, threadlike stamen form a tunnel through the flower.

The opalescent pistil has a strange star-shaped end.

The flowers are as big as my opened hand.

The back has finger-like sepals that splay as the bloom opens.

What wondrous, glorious blooms this “Queen of the Night” has!

Night blooming Cereus/”Queen of the Night”

How could heaven be better than this?

FLOW in the GLOW