How to Grow a Queen of the Night Cactus

Plant your queen of the night cactus in a clay pot or hanging basket with a cactus potting mix or mix a regular potting mix half-and-half with coarse sand or perlite. Fill the pot to within 1 1/2 inches of the top.

Place 1/2 inch of pebbles in the top of the pot to stabilize it and hold the plant in place. Stake the plant if necessary. Place epiphyllums into an upright cage for support if desired. Place the plant in a shady spot.

Water your queen of the night cactus only when the top one-third of the soil is completely dry. Do not allow the pot to sit in water. Place outside plants up off the ground to allow for drainage.

Fertilize monthly during the growing season with a liquid 15-30-15 or use a timed-release bloom fertilizer. Place your night blooming cactus where it is exposed to the natural cycle of light and dark, because day length triggers blooming. Bring your queen of the night indoors if temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Watch for fungus gnats, which are a sign of over watering. Keep an eye out for slug damage, as they can devastate your plants quickly.

Watch carefully for buds, and watch each evening thereafter to see the blooms open. Bring potted blooming plants indoors and place in a dark place or a closet to keep the bloom from closing at daybreak. This enables you to take a quick picture during daylight hours before the bloom closes.

Re-pot queen of the night cactus every seven years, about a month after blooming.

Shake off excess soil, but do not remove all the soil from the root ball. Leave the re-potted plant unwatered for a week. Water lightly for the first month, then return to watering regularly.