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The Cinderella of Flowers that’s Queen of the Night

She was here 
Gekkabijin —in moonlight
Summer treat
*
Shy Cinderella 
Gone before the sun steals a kiss
One night queen
*

This Magnificent flower that graces the night for only a few hours is known as Dutchman’s pipe cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), night-blooming cereus, queen of the night.

It is native to Arizona and the Sonora Desert, and generally grown as a houseplant in all but the hottest regions of the United States.

A dear friend of mine managed to obtain a plant to raise here in Japan and has had the great honor of seeing it bloom twice in the seven years he’s has the Queen in his yard: a tricky thing, as the flower blooms but once a year between July and October.

This year it bloomed in September and he tells me that at almost 18cm. across, the large white flower borne off the tops of the stems is breathtaking and that it produces a heavenly scent.

It will only open at night. The Gardening Know How Website informs me that it is pollinated by a moth, and that if pollinated the plant produces large juicy red fruit— small details I have yet to share with my 85 year old friend.

The Gekkanbijin (月下美人) —beautiful lady under the moonlight, as it’s called here in Japan —begins to bloom at 9 or 10 pm and are fully open by midnight. The photo I share with you at the bottom was taken by him at 9 pm on September 9th, 2021, after which he went to bed promptly.

By sunrise the following day, he was left with only the lovely memory of the night before as its white petals are known to wilt before the first rays of the sun ever get a shot at a kiss.

Main Photo: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Thank you.

Second Photo: Compliments of Mr. Akira used with his permission.

Author’s Album. Compliments of Mr. Akira: 9-9-‘21

Thanks for reading. I wish you miracles.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. rajkkhoja

    Hi Selma
    Yes, fully opened at midnight. Lovely share to it. Beautifully love of white flower. I like.😍

      1. rajkkhoja

        Thanks lot.Happy!💘

  2. Daphny Aqua

    Such a beautiful gorgeous flower Selma! Simply stunning 😍

    1. Selma Martin

      It is indeed, Daphny. Shy and introverted, methinks but a joy to those who know what to watch for.
      We bloom where we are planted, no matter the audience. 👏 💕

      1. Daphny Aqua

        Thats actually the beauty of introverts, quite but simple and stunning 😉😁❣️

        1. Selma Martin

          I thought you’d see that. Great insight. Yay! We don’t need an audience for us to be the best we can be. Keep going 💕

          1. Daphny Aqua

            Yes we are enough for ourselves 😊❣️

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for reading. We’re all a piece of art. May we bloom where we’re planted 👏

  3. anotherkatewilson

    Wow! That’s stunning! I have a few small mistletoe cacti on a window sill, that I’m hoping will bloom eventually but they’re modest small-flowered varieties.

    1. Selma Martin

      But just as lovely, I bet. Thanks for reading. Show me a picture when they bloom. 😘

  4. ben Alexander

    Wow, Selma! That is beautiful and fascinating! I knew nothing of this beauty!

    <3
    David

  5. Sebastian

    The photography was really nicely done on the first picture, other than the second one. Your line of interest seems a little bit different and uncommon than others. Brilliant piece of work.

    1. Selma Martin

      Hey, Sebastian. So glad to get your comment. I appreciate it.
      Yes the photos: first is very nice and second is kinda blurry. My friend (85y.o) took the second one.
      Thanks for reading. 👏

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