Succulent Blooms on Moonlit Nights

Thick, Fleshy Succulents

• One of the most recognizable night-blooming succulents is the saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea), a branching, tree-like cactus that reaches 50 feet tall. It bears white flowers and is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 10. In contrast, the Discocactus zehntneri, hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12, forms round clumps only 4 inches tall and bears white flowers. Another example is the organ pipe cactus (Stenocereus thunberi), hardy in USDA zones 9B through 12, which grows in clumps and bears red flowers edged in white.

Thin, Stick-Like Succulents

• These night-blooming succulents may have long stems but they are thin and stick-like. For example, one of many cacti called night-blooming cereus, the Peniocereus greggii, hardy in USDA zones 9 through 10, bears thin stems only 1 inch across, but gets to 10 feet tall. Reina de la noche or queen of the night (Nyctocereus serpentinus), hardy in USDA zones 9 through 11, gets to 20 feet tall and only 2 inches across. Its flowers are white with a pinkish tinge on the outer petals.

Hanging Cactus

• Certain night-blooming succulents tend to crawl along the ground in the wild, but gardeners usually plant then in pots and hang them so their stems can weep freely. For example, one of the many succulents called queen of the night (Selenicereus grandiflorus), hardy in USDA zones 9 through 12, has tubular, weeping branches and creamy white flowers with yellow outer petals. Dutchman's pipe cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12, bears pure white flowers and flat, leaf-like foliage. Dragonfruit (Hylocereus undatus), hardy in USDA 10 though 11, has aerial roots that allow it to climb. It bears pure white flowers and bright pinkish-red edible fruits.

Other Succulents

• Non-cactus succulents that are night-blooming include the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata), hardy in USDA zones 10b through 12, which has a large, succulent trunk. It bears flowers with white petals that surround a puff-like ball. Adam's needle (yucca filamentosa), hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10, forms bell-shaped creamy white flowers on tall stalks. Flowers stay open all day, but the blooms emit a soapy fragrance only at night.