night queen plant and snakes Queen of the Night – Selenicereus pteranthus (Night Blooming Cactus)

night queen plant and snakes Queen of the Night – Selenicereus pteranthus (Night Blooming Cactus)Selenicereus pteranthus Moonlight Cactus Queen of the Night Description Selenicereus pteranthus, sometimes called Moonlight Cactus or Queen of the Night, is a spectacular night blooming climbing cactus known for its large fragrant flowers. The species name spinulosus means with small spines in Latin. This plant was originally collected in Mexico in 1827 by botanist Thomas Coulter and is one of the early discovered species in the Selenicereus genus.

Selenicereus pteranthus – Moonlight Cactus / Queen of the Night

Description

Selenicereus pteranthus, sometimes called Moonlight Cactus or Queen of the Night, is a spectacular night-blooming climbing cactus known for its large fragrant flowers.

The species name “spinulosus” means “with small spines” in Latin. This plant was originally collected in Mexico in 1827 by botanist Thomas Coulter and is one of the early discovered species in the Selenicereus genus.

The plant grows as a perennial climbing or scrambling cactus with segmented stems and small spines. It produces globular yellow fruit covered in yellowish spines.

This species is widely grown for its dramatic night-blooming flowers, which are among the most beautiful in the cactus world.

• Climbing cactus

• Epiphytic growth habit

• Small spines along the stems

• Yellow spiny fruit

Flowers

The flowers are large, trumpet-shaped, and extremely fragrant, reaching up to 30 cm long.

They begin opening around 10 pm, reach their peak around midnight, and gradually fade by dawn.

The outer petals are bronze to purplish brown, surrounding a centre of pure white inner petals. The flower also contains numerous cream to pale green stamens and a pale style.

Because of its spectacular blooms, the plant is often called:

• Queen of the Night

• Princess of the Night

• Night-Blooming Cereus

Origin & Habitat

This species has a wide natural distribution across the Caribbean and Mexico, including:

• Bahamas

• Cuba

• Haiti

• Cayman Islands

• Mexico (Hidalgo, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, Tabasco, Veracruz)

It is often found in coastal areas and disturbed habitats, and is widely cultivated in tropical regions for its showy flowers.

Fruit

The plant produces round yellow fruit covered with soft spines.

Common Names

Moonlight Cactus
Queen of the Night
Princess of the Night
Night Blooming Cereus
Snake Cactus
Vanilla Cactus
Lunar Flower

Shipping 

All items are posted on a Monday Express post, with Australia Post. If Monday is a public holiday they will be sent the Tuesday or the following Monday depending on the destination. We aim to deliver healthy and happy plants :)

• No post to  WA, NT and TAS due to quarantine restrictions and biosecurity