Different Varieties of the Queen Night-Blooming Cereus Plant

About Queen Night-blooming Cactus Plants

• There are two plants in the cactus family that are commonly called queen night-blooming cereus. One comes from the Selenicereus genus, and the other from the Hylocereus genus. These plants are similar in growth rate and bloom, and are both vining plants. Their vines may loop around themselves, often in intricate patterns, but without the blooms they appear quite plain. These two plants, as the name implies, open only in the late evening and appear gangly and unappealing during daylight hours. Their blooms, however, are large and distinct, and are what give these two cactus plants the title of "queen."

Hylocereus Undatus

• You’re more likely to come across a Hylocereus undatus plant than you are the second variety of queen night-blooming cereus. Native to tropical regions, Hylocereus undatus has light green to yellow stems that tend to climb or hang in a vining habit. The spines of this cactus plant are short and spare. The white funnel-shaped flowers open only at night all along the stems and may be up to a foot or more wide with green outer tepals. The fruit, commonly known as dragon fruit, is typically a brilliant pink color with white flesh and black seeds.

Selenicereus Grandiflorus

• Native to the Caribbean Islands, Selenicereus grandiflorus is more often referred to as "queen of the night." It grows cylindrical stems that are green on young plants, but gain a purple tint when mature. As with Hylocereus undatus, this plant grows rapidly and blooms at night. Its spines are also very short, but the blooms are quite different from hylocereus flowers. Yellowish and covered with white hairs, selenicereus blooms are white and round, with several thin petals. The outer tepals may be light brown to salmon in color. The fruit of the Selenicereus grandiflorus is oval and reddish-orange in color, with flaking tuber-like growths on the outside.

Growth and Care

• Queen night-blooming cereus plants aren’t easily found at your local nursery. Often, they are grown from cuttings and passed along. These plants will root from a cutting in about three to six weeks, but it may be up to three years before you’ll see blooms. When grown as a houseplant, cereus cacti will thrive if taken outdoors and placed in filtered light during the summer months. If your plant has well-drained, sandy soil that's rich in organic material and you water only as the soil becomes dry, it will essentially take care of itself. During the spring and summer months, you may feed it with water-soluble organic fertilizer monthly. To ensure annual blooms, allow these plants to remain dormant during the fall and winter months. Reduce water, and do not fertilize during these periods.