The plant commonly known as the Night Blooming Cereus, often referred to by the species Epiphyllum oxypetalum or similar jungle cacti, captivates growers with its dramatic, short-lived flowers. This plant is an epiphyte, meaning it grows non-parasitically on other plants, typically trees, in its native tropical habitat. Its unique flowering habit involves large, fragrant white blossoms that open exclusively after sunset and typically wilt before dawn. Understanding its natural environment provides the foundation for successful cultivation in a home setting.
Environmental Essentials
Light
Replicating the dappled sunlight of a tropical canopy is important for the Night Blooming Cereus. The plant thrives best when placed where it receives bright light throughout the day, but this illumination should not be direct sunlight for extended periods. Intense, unfiltered afternoon sun can quickly scorch the plant’s fleshy, flattened stems, causing permanent browning and damage. An east-facing window providing gentle morning sun or a shaded south-facing exposure often works well to provide adequate energy for growth.
Watering
Watering practices should mimic the plant’s natural exposure to heavy rains followed by periods of drying out. The most effective method is to water thoroughly until the excess liquid drains freely from the bottom of the pot, ensuring the entire root ball is saturated. Allowing the top inch or two of the growing medium to dry out completely between watering sessions helps prevent issues. Because this plant stores water in its stems, overwatering is the most common cause of decline, leading to root rot.
Temperature
The species prefers a consistent warm environment during its active growing season, with ideal daytime temperatures ranging from 65°F to 80°F. Nighttime temperatures can drop slightly lower without causing stress. It is important to protect the plant from cold drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations, which can inhibit growth. While these jungle cacti can tolerate brief dips, temperatures sustained below 50°F, particularly when the soil is damp, can cause significant damage or death.
Substrate and Nutritional Needs
Since the Night Blooming Cereus is an epiphyte, it requires a growing medium that promotes rapid drainage and aeration around the roots. Heavy, dense potting soil retains too much moisture and will quickly suffocate the root system. A specialized mix formulated for orchids or a highly amended cactus and succulent blend provides the necessary coarse texture. Adding materials like perlite, orchid bark, or pumice increases porosity, allowing air and water to move freely through the container.
Supplying nutrients supports the development of robust stems and prepares the plant for flowering. During the spring and summer active growth period, a diluted, balanced liquid fertilizer should be applied every two to four weeks. As the plant matures, switching to a fertilizer with a higher potassium content can help stimulate bloom production. Feeding should be reduced significantly or stopped entirely in the cooler, darker months to respect the plant’s natural dormancy cycle.
Encouraging Nocturnal Blooms
The primary mechanism for encouraging nocturnal blooms involves simulating the plant’s natural seasonal rest period, usually spanning late fall through early winter. This period is initiated by reducing both temperature and water availability, signaling the plant to cease vegetative growth and prepare energy reserves for reproduction.
To achieve this necessary dormancy, move the plant to a location where temperatures hover consistently between 50°F and 60°F for approximately six to eight weeks. During this time, watering frequency must be drastically reduced, allowing the substrate to remain almost completely dry. This cool, dry period is essential for the formation of flower buds, which develop on the mature, flattened stem segments.
Maintaining bright, indirect light during the winter rest is important, despite the lower temperatures, as the plant still needs energy for photosynthesis. A lack of this distinct rest period prevents the necessary hormonal changes required for bud initiation, resulting in a plant that grows vigorously but fails to produce flowers.
The transition back to active growth in early spring is marked by gradually increasing both the temperature and the watering schedule. As temperatures rise above 65°F, regular watering can resume, and fertilizer application should begin again. This careful reintroduction of warmth and moisture stimulates the newly formed buds to swell and develop.
Propagation and Troubleshooting
Expanding a collection of Night Blooming Cereus is straightforward through the use of stem cuttings. A healthy, mature section of a flattened stem, about four to six inches long, should be cleanly cut and then allowed to dry for several days. This drying period permits the cut end to form a protective callous, which prevents fungal infection when placed in the substrate. Once calloused, the cutting can be inserted directly into a well-draining soil mix to root.
The most common cultivation issue encountered is root rot, identified by soft, yellowing, or browning stems near the soil line. This condition requires an immediate cessation of watering and often necessitates repotting into fresh, dry substrate after trimming away affected roots. Occasional pest problems, such as mealybugs, appear as small, cottony masses in the stem joints. These can typically be addressed by manually removing the pests or applying a targeted insecticidal soap.