The Big Event!

[PlantAKiss]

Well finally...after 3 years the big event happened!  My nightblooming cereus produced its first flower.  They don't open until around 10 p.m. and the flower bud opens very quickly...takes an hour or so.  And then it closes up and is dead by morning.

I know my neighbors think I'm a fruitcake...outdoors for three hours in the dark with lights and stuff.  But it was worth it...a beautiful flower strongly scented in the night air.

Here is a composite photo of the stages...final bloom in the center.

Now you can see the flower opening without spending 3 hours in the dark on a hot, muggy night.  

Suzanne

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

Very pretty flower Suzanne.

I think that after 3 years, 3 hours more of waiting isn't bad. How long did it stay open and do you know what the pollinators are for this plant?

 

[adnedarn]

i think this is the flower shown on denis the mennis. (spelling?) but very nice! congrats!!!
lates,
andrew

 

[Dionaea Enthusiast]

Forgot all about your cereus! I LOVE the pics.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">my neighbors think I'm a fruitcake[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

We know better than that!

Chris

 

[Parasuco]

Very pretty flower, and not to mention, nice composition too.

What does the rest of the plant look like?

 

[PlantAKiss]

Parasuco...

The plant itself is not known for its beauty...just the flower. It looks somewhat like a GIANT gangly christmas cactus. It sets up tall, thin, cane-like stems and produces "leaves" that look like huge christmas cactus segments. The flowers grow off the leaf nodes. I have another flower bud growing now. If I can, I will get a pic of the plant itself but ...its not a pretty sight!

It was fun to finally get a flower. They usually don't flower 'til they are 2-3 yrs old. Hopefully now it will flower every year. I've heard some people say theirs have lots of flowers. Also I've heard that nightblooming cereus is not the correct name but I can't remember right now what the correct name is.

BigCarn...I would assume since its a night-blooming flower, that it must be moths that pollinate it. But I'm not sure. That would be a good thing to find out. I'll have to do some surfing. I do know that there were a ton of moths getting in my hair while I was photographing it! UGH!!!! (They were attracted to the lighting...not ME&#33

Thanks to everyone for the compliments.

I'm hoping when I get home tonite, my paph orchid bud has opened--its alllllmost there! Can't wait to see it! Photo of that for sure!

Suzanne

 

[wickedthistle]

Wowee Suzanne,

That is lovely! Maybe we should start a gallery specifically for plant-related desktop wallpaper!

 

[Dyflam]

Beautiful composite. The different angles are nice... gives us a good idea of the overall flower.

And we know you're a fruitcake... uh... I mean not a fruitcake.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Hey Dyflam....c'mere....a little closer.......one more step closer....yeah...that's it........

****WHOMP!***** OOOPS! Did my mallet slip and accidently land on yo' head

hehehe Uh oh...was that an illegal use of a mallet??

Well my second cereus bloom opened last nite...so more late night photography. Will post some pics if I got something good. Not only that...but I found 2 more new flower buds. I guess once it gets going, it just keeps on budding.

Suzanne

 

[Ghrey]

Beautifull.

I missed our cereus this year, Must have had a dozen blooms, and I was allways to buisy to go look or just plain out of town.

All I got to do was look at the dead blooms.......(later)

Rats!


Ghrey

 

[GEORGE-CP]

plantakiss, i know what ya mean by staying up late trying to get a picture of it. i have had the plant for like 3 yrs now and this is the only year that i have actually seen the flowers from it. all the other times they would be limp over the next morning. the only think w/ this one it only has 1-2 flowers a yr. they do have more but they all drop off before they bloom.

 

[larry]

I have a couple of these plants in my backyard. I always forget to check on them, and when I do remember, they've already flowered so I miss the big show

Doesn't look like they're gonna flower again this year, oh well.