'Lady of the Night'

A good 6 weeks later than normal, my plant of Epiphyllum crenatum 'Kimnachi' (formerly E. x Cooperi) has opened the first of its flowers. This is the Mexican variant of a species that is widespread through Central America and it amazes me that an inhabitant of the normally hot, humid forests of Oaxaca can not only survive outside here, but thrive and flower. The flowers are a good 18cms across and open suddenly after dark. They last for just one night and emit quite a powerful fragrance. By morning they have shrivelled so you need to be on your guard to see them. Not a good shot - but considering it's night-time, this is a monumental achievement for my ageing and regularly unreliable digicam.

 

Thats nice Dave and worth looking forward to so looks like your on nightshift until it finishes flowering.

 

Beautiful photo, Dave. I've seen one blooming in someone's window but of course didn't get to enjoy the scent. :(

Do you have a new avatar? What is it please?

 

DaveP, when I lived in Kenya we used to have a night flowering plant which in my language was called "Raat Rani" translation would be "Queen of the Night"

A shrub with white/creamy flowers, growing in bunches, flowers the size of jasmine flowers.....I'm trying to remember this from my childhood so it could have got a bit hazy :-)

I have alwasy wondered what that plant would be called in English and whether it would be possible to grow it here.
The scent from it was just heavenly.

Your thread title made me instantly think of that plant althought the flower you have photographed is nothing like the flowers on the plant I'm talking of.

 

Would you believe it.....
I just googled Raat Rani and I have found the plant I have been searching for.

Cestrum nocturnum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum_nocturnum

now, all I have to do is find a garden centre or nursery that sells it or get hold of the seeds.

I'm going to be a happy bunny for the rest of the day now.:D:D:D:D

 

That is beautiful, DaveP ... your garden must really be a show.

Sis, that is from the same family as the massive one growing up the lamp post in Algoz.

Init sister. I also know 'Lady of the Night' as the Cestrum nocturnum as it is very popular here. You'll cringe but I dug mine up as I found it rather insipid looking and never went near it to smell it at night! Chiltern Seeds has packets of C solanacaea, the yellow night-scented variety, and they are very reliable.

http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/chilternseeds/211/index/pn/12

 

Yes, it is, Sis. But the one Dave has is really the queen of them all.

 

Yes Kedi, the avatar is of Hedychium x Corellii - a hybrid between H. coronarium and H. ellipticum. It is a strong growing plant with very fragrant flowers borne in dense, flat headed clusters during August and September. I think it must be one of my favourite 'ginger lilies' on account of its free growth and willingness to flower. The lush foliage is a bright apple green and almost sufficient reason to grow the plant even without the flowers.

The Epiphyllum has to be sniffed to be believed. It is a combination of the rich, heady and intoxicating fragrance of Brugmansia only a fraction lighter with strong lemon undertones. Deeply exotic!

Init sister, Cestrum nocturnum is a bit of a disappointment to grow and rather drab even when in full flower. It isn't very hardy on colder areas and is best grown against a warm wall except in the far south. You need a really hot evening to get the benefit of the scent because it is rather weak at lower temperatures. I'd forgotten that it is also dubbed 'Lady of the Night'. It would appear that in Europe, 'Dame de Noche' refers to the Cestrum, but in Central America it refers to Epiphyllum. A far more deserving recipient than Cestrum in my opinion.

LoL, I wish the garden did look a 'picture', but it is slowly being disassembled as I try to make space for palms that have outgrown their containers and desperately need planting out. It's going to take a while, but I've decided upon an outline and the main theme so it should be more or less replanted by next spring.

 

Just googled the name, Dave, what a lovely plant, both flowers and leaves. Can see why you love it, I would too.

 

It is called Königen der Nacht in German, Queen of the Night.

 

Pretty amazing Dave, would really like one of those.
How big do they get, and are they possible in a pot?

I'd not heard of a catus called "lady of the night", only "queen of the night", which I thought was selenicereus.
But I know there are lots, and the common names do confuse the issue.

 

Jungle Seeds do Cestrum Nocturnum. There are several nurseries that send the plant. Costs about £7.00 with about £6.00 p&p

 

Unusually for epiphytic cacti in this group, E. crenatum tends to have rather strong, somewhat bushy, upright growth. The thick stems are flat and can exceed 1m. in length on established plants. It lends itself to being grown in a large pot rather well and can even be grown as a 'hedge' in the right climate. Mine is only about 80cms. tall so far, but it would be much larger if it weren't for massive damage caused by snails in winter.

I wholly agree abut 'common names', they seem only to confuse and mislead. 'Queen of the Night' seems variously applied to Selenicereus pteranthus, grandifolius*, Peniocereus greggii and Epiphyllum oxypetalum. It is also occasionally given to a few other cacti and our 'friend' Cestrum nocturnum. Botanical names may be difficult to pronounce for some, but at least they don't create massive ambiguity or confusion!

*Erm of course I meant grandiflorus - nothing grand about non-existent foliage!

 

Hi Dave. Yeah, I agree. I don't usually bother with the latin names but it sure is useful when plants have the same "nickname"