List of Nocturnal Plants

Evening Primrose

• Evening Primrose plants have stalks 4 to 5 feet high. They have yellow, white or pink flowers that bloom at night from June to September, giving them their name. Evening Primrose grows east of the Rocky Mountains in North America and is entirely edible.

Nottingham Catchfly

• Nottingham Catchfly is native to England and has flowers that bloom for three consecutive nights then fade. It has small, white or pink flowers perched on very stiff stalks that grow only a few feet high. It uses moths as primary pollinators and attracts them with a strong fragrance.

Moon Flowers

• Moon flowers open at dusk and have large, white flowers that can open in just a few minutes. The petals die the morning after blooming and fall from the flower. They use moths as their primary pollinators. Moon flowers are closely related to the morning glory plant, which opens during the day to attract bees.

Night Phlox

• Night Phlox is also known as midnight candy because of its strong, sweet smelling fragrance resembling cake or candy. It has white and purple pinwheel-shaped flowers that are tightly closed during the day but open wide at night to attract night-flying moths. The plant is native to South Africa.

Night Blooming Cereus

• Night Blooming Cereus are native to the Caribbean and require warm temperatures. They must be brought indoors during winter months if regional temperatures drop below 50 F at night. Cereus have large, white flowers that bloom only once before dying the next day.

Evening Stock

• Evening Stock is a bushy plant that grows about 2 feet tall. It has many purple flowers that each have four long petals that open the evening. The plant releases a spicy scent and is accustomed to desert and mountainous environments.