For the Love of Flowers: Queen of the Night

I have always been fascinated by plant life.  It is one of the things that drew me to floral design.  Who wouldn’t want to play with flowers all day soaking up all that beauty? Every Monday, I would like to share some plants and flowers that I find mesmerizing.  Enjoy!  

Selenicereus Grandiflorus, also know as "Queen of the Night" and "Vanilla Cactus" is a night-blooming cereus in the cactus family.  There are other hybrids that go by the same name, but Selenicereus Grandiflorus is the true species and the most unusual.  Native to Central America, their blooms can be from 5"-12" in diameter.  They bloom after sunset and the flowers only last for one night.  They are said to have an intensely sweet vanilla scent.  I hope to be lucky enough to see one in bloom in person.

Botanical drawing by Johann Jacob Haid

Like many night blooming flowers, they are pollinated by bats.

Just lovely

Selene means "moon" in latin and is lunar goddess in Greek mythology.

It also is said to mean "transient beauty".