All posts tagged Queen of the Night

Night blooming jasmine, botanically known as cestrum nocturnum

Meet The Shrubby, Potent, Fragrant, Lady of The Night

October 18, 2019

Cestrum nocturnum, commonly known as the night flowering jasmine, lady of the night, night jasmine, queen of the night and night-blooming jasmine is a sprawling, evergreen shrub in the solanaceae family. The plant is thought to have originated in Central America or West Indies.

[Note: The Right Flowers is not a medical site. Knowledge of and information about the therapeutic benefits and applications of flowers, while known through the ages, does not constitute medical advice. If you are having health issues, you should consult with a physician.]

The plant’s species name, nocturnum, refers to the species curious habit of opening its heavily-aromatic blossoms at night and shedding the flowers at dawn. This explains why it is fondly referred to as the lady of the night.

The queen of the night is said to be the most heavily scented plant in the world. In ideal circumstances, you can pick up its aromatic perfume from 165 feet away. While the strong perfume of the night flowering jasmine is loved and tolerated by most people, it is known to trigger allergic reactions in others.

Gardeners cultivate the night flowering jasmine as an ornamental plant due to its showy and sweet-scented blossoms. In the wild, the shrub thrives in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world and can do well in most places.

Traditionally, the shrub’s flowers were presented as offerings to gods while Nepalese shamans smoked and ate the flowers to enhance spiritual healing energies.

Apart from being a showy plant with white flowers, the night-blooming jasmine has medicinal qualities. These include anti-bacteria, anti-convulsant, anti-fungal, anti-viral, analgesic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and larvicidal properties.

While ancient people did not understand all there was to this plant, they heavily relied on it to cure or manage various ailments. Today, studies have confirmed that the plant contains flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, and alkaloids as well as saponins and tannins which set off healing effects in the human body.

Night jasmine flower extracts are great for regulating bowel movement and toning the stomach as they contain astringent properties. They are also ideal for preventing the formation of gas and managing flatulence in the gastrointestinal tract. The flowers inhibit the excess secretion of digestive fluids from the liver and help in the digestion process.

Night-blooming jasmine contains essentials oils that are famous for their therapeutic and fragrant purposes. These oils are used in aromatherapy for relieving stress, inspiring confidence, boosting moods, boosting libido, massaging and relaxing tired and tense muscles. In addition, the essential oils derived from the lady of the night are used in inhalants and diffusers to decongest clogged airways.

Since these oils have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant as well as tonic qualities, they are good for toning the skin and managing signs of premature aging.

Ultimately, night flowering jasmine is one of the few flowering plants that are considered a gift of nature to humankind. This shrub combines beauty, fragrance, and medicine in one tight package.

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Night Blooming Cereus—Here and Gone in a Flash!

May 22, 2019

Whether you call it night blooming cereus, Epiphyllum oxpetalum or Queen of the Night, this unusual flower is a knockout while it lasts. Native to Arizona and the Sonara desert, night blooming cereus is a member of the orchid cactus family. Resembling a scraggly bush for most of the year, it buds and then blossoms into pure white magnificence between May and late July.

Night blooming cereus opens its ethereal, star like blossoms after dark, usually between 8 and 9pm. The buds open slowly release an intoxicating fragrance that has been described as heavenly (think milk and honey). The breathtaking flower lasts only until the first light of dawn. The faded blooms will then wither and drop, and it will take a year (or longer) before the plant flowers again.

Plant Intelligence

Flowering will not begin until a plant is four or five years old. It starts out with just a couple of flowers and increases blooms as it grows older. One of the most interesting things about this plant is that, when there are multiple plants, the flowers will bloom en masse. A plant that is ready will actually wait for others to catch up.

Researchers believe there may be some type of chemical communication amongst plants, but they don’t know more than that. The reason for the mass blooming is not as much as a mystery. With no blooming companions, the plants would lose their chance at reproduction. Night blooming cereus is pollinated by sphinx moths and nectar-feeding bats, which are only active at night. The bright white color of the flowers glow in the moonlight and the fragrance is strong enough to attract its followers from far away.

You Are Cordially Invited…

…to a night blooming party, and the guest of honor is night blooming cereus. Please be sure to bring a camera. Night blooming parties became a tradition in the south and continues to this day. The plant openings can be predicted by the swelling of the buds, and friends gather and watch with amazement as the spectacular flower emerges. Beloved author Eudora Welty, a lifelong gardener, and her fun-loving literary friends formed the “Night-Blooming Cereus Club” in 1934. Their motto was “Don’t take it too cereus. Life’s too mysterious.”

Night blooming cereus is popular in rock gardens and can be grown from seeds or stem cuttings. They need bright sunshine and warm temperatures and are generally grown as houseplants in cooler regions. They are said to bloom best when slightly potbound. With light shade, the plants can handle temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C.), so you can bring them outdoors in the summer.

Cereusly Gift Worthy

When the limbs get unruly, they can be cut and planted to create more plants (though in the cactus family, they have no thorns). An inspired anytime gift for yourself or your favorite gardener. If you can’t get your hands on a cutting from a friend, you can click on Amazon.com where you can buy plants, seeds, and cuttings.

Because the flower is so extraordinarily beautiful, the night blooming cereus image is often used on tattoos. A wide variety of gift items are available ranging from prints and posters to stationery, pillows, greeting cards and phone covers. Night blooming cereus’s intoxicating scent has also been captured in a product line called “Once in a Bloom Fragrances.” available at https://www.desertusa.com.

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