2011 Night Blooming Cereus

Blooms

I am confident that anyone who has followed this Blog "The World This Week" for over a year is well aware that I, The Flower Child" enjoy plants that bloom and provide beauty in our World.  This past week, August 8, 2011 to be exact the Night Blooming Cereus once again displayed real beauty and also emitted a lovely fragrance.

Some say that this plant blooms on the Full Moon.  I checked and ascertained that the Full Moon was on August 13, 2011.

Now, in 2011 I enjoyed three cycles of bloom on the two plants I have.  The first was July 4, 2011 and the second cycle was about 40 days later in September.  Because of a mild Fall, I enjoyed a third cycle of bloom in November.

I do not know the intentions of this plant in 2011, but I suspect that I will also be able to enjoy the second cycle of bloom about mid September.  Time will tell.

For the record, the evening of August 8th was a rainy night in Middle Georgia.  

 This image was taken at 7:06 P.M.

 This image was taken at 10:15 P.M.

 This image was taken at 10:15 P.M.

This plant produced a total of four blooms

 This image was taken at 10:15 P.M.

This image was taken at 10:16 P.M.

If you are interested in viewing these lovely flowers in a larger format, please click on each image and enjoy the beauty of these "Night Blooming Cereus" flowers.  I enjoy these blooms for the one night they produce their beauty.  By the next morning they are shriveled up.

By the way, the best way to propagate these plants is to acquire a cutting from someone.  It normally takes a few years before they are mature enough to produce flowers; but I can assure you that the wait is well worth it.  They are also very easy to grow and require very little care.  I have heard that they like to be pot bound.  I maintain two fourteen inch pots of these plants and Winter them over in the garage here in Middle Georgia.  They are a tropical and will not endure the mild Middle Georgia Winter if left outside.

Enjoy the flowers!!!!