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Queen of the night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum

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Queen of the night · Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Large fragrant white flowers open for only a few hours at night.

Care and placement

Prefers bright indirect light (east or north window), an airy epiphytic-cactus mix and watering when the top 2–3 cm is dry; blooms with large fragrant flowers for a night in late spring to summer; likes a slightly snug pot.

Draft mature dimensions

Maximum height (cm): 200 cm · Maximum spread (cm): 100 cm

Things to consider

There is no official toxicity rating for this plant, so it is not claimed safe or toxic. Take care: do not eat it or use it as medicine, wear gloves and wash hands after pruning, and keep children and pets from chewing it.

Unknown evidence does not mean safe. Decorative plants are not automatically edible.

Information is compiled from multiple reputable sources for reference. If you spot an error, please contact us so we can check and update it.

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How to grow and care for it

  1. Planting and pot

    Use an airy, fast-draining mix (epiphytic cactus compost, bark, perlite) in a pot with drainage holes; slightly snug roots help flowering. Repot when roots fill the pot.

  2. Light

    Bright indirect light near an east or north window; too little light gives leafy growth without flowers; avoid harsh afternoon sun which scorches stems.

  3. Watering

    Water when the top 2–3 cm is dry, usually every 1–2 weeks, less when cool; overwatering rots roots. Humidity about 50%. After flowering keep just moist for about 6 weeks (RHS).

  4. Feeding

    Balanced water-soluble fertilizer at half strength monthly in the growing season; potassium-rich feed supports flowering; none in cool months.

  5. Pruning

    Cut damaged or dry stems at the base; long stems can be trimmed for cuttings after flowering.

  6. Propagation

    Take stem cuttings of about 15 cm in late spring to early summer just after flowering: let the cut dry and callus for a few days, insert it in the mix in bright indirect light; resistance to a gentle tug means roots have formed. They also root in water.

  7. Pests and common problems

    Overwatering causes root and stem rot; low light means no flowers. Young plants bloom less reliably than older, larger ones.

  8. For more flowers

    To bloom: enough bright indirect light, a slightly snug pot, potassium-rich feed in the growing season and a cooler, drier rest after flowering. Huge, very fragrant white flowers open at dusk and close the next morning.