Last month, I posted pictures of one of our night blooming cacti. I had listed it as Epiphyllum oxypetalom, but am now thinking that I was wrong. Carol at May Dreams Gardens grows this and you can clearly see that it has much wider petals. Click here to see her blooms - but I wish I could see her actual plant! The bloom below is more like Carol's. Big and hearty! Maybe Aiyana over at Water When Dry could guide us in this! Do night blooming cactus grow in Arizona? I am thankful that neither of these cacti have thorns. Even though they are bulky to work around and prune, they aren't dangerous!

One thing I love about both of these plants is their source. The top cactus came from my father's yard and the bottom from one my father-in-law dug from a pasture fence-line. Maybe I should just name them Tom's Cactus and LP's Cactus.

I apologize for not really having any information to share - but I hope this post serves as a reminder for me to do a little reading!

Especially for Night Owls

Gardening has something for everyone, even night owls! Here's a plant that doesn't bloom until after the sun sets.
I think this is a Epiphyllum oxypetalom - more commonly known as Night Blooming Cereus, Dutchman's Pipe, or Queen of the Night. Most of the pictures of Epiphyllum oxypetalom that I see show a flower with wider petals. I would be happy for anyone to correct my identification of this plant.

My dad has this plant climbing up some of his mesquite trees. They aren't actually climbing as they don't attach themselves to a support; they are just supported by the branches and tied to the tree. It's quite a floppy plant. Anyhoo, Dad gave me a cutting years ago. You can tell from the actual plant that I abuse it terribley. It's rarely watered and grows in heavy, heavy clay. Wikipedia says that it needs rich compost with lots of humus and lots of water in the summer. What do they know?

These blooms are only open at night and for a few hours in the morning (that's when I see them) - then the bloom dies. It usually has blooms that open for 5 or 6 days in a row. Then a few weeks later, we get another evening show.

So, if you are a night owl, this Night Blooming Cereus might be a plant to consider.