When it keeps raining, it is hard to imagine dry times, but winter in Kona likely means some dry days ahead. Cacti are always good go-to plants for dry times, but some cactus family members are a little less drought tolerant. An epiphytic member of the family, the night blooming cereus might be worth considering for dry times as long as long you are willing to give it an occasional drink. This cereus grows very well in Hawaii and, as a bonus, produces beautiful fragrant flowers and an edible fruit.
My mother’s fascination with this plant meant I learned about it as a child. Growing up in Delaware, our night blooming cereus was indoors most of the year. When she bloomed, champagne flowed at our house amid cheers from my parents and their friends. Of course, I grew up loving the plant. Now that I live in the tropics, I can grow her outside year round, and toast her annual blossoms in my garden.
As a member of the family Cactaceae, night blooming cereus shares several properties with other cactus plants. This includes succulent, water holding stems that sport spines. Since cacti plants are leafless, their fleshy stems are responsible for the photosynthetic process.
Most of the cacti that grow here, including night blooming cereus, are native to tropical regions in the Americas. This night bloomer was likely introduced to Hawaii from Mexico around 1830 and became popular with cactus collectors and others who prized the distinctive bloom cycle and the lovely blossoms.
Known botanically as Hylocereus undatus, night blooming cereus is also known in Hawaii as panini-o-ka-puna-hou. The name likely refers to the quarter-mile-long hedge that covers a wall in Honolulu along Wilder Avenue, bordering the Punahou School campus. It is well known there for the summer evening displays of large and lovely fragrant white flowers that grace this stretch of wall.
Several other members of the Hylocereus genus have a similar growth habit but produce larger, commercially viable fruit. This larger fruit is usually referred to as dragon fruit. Some species produce fruit that is red on the outside and can be either white or red inside. The smaller pitaya can be either yellow or red with a white interior. The fruit of each species is sweet with a somewhat crunchy texture that is filled with tiny seeds. Hand pollination of the flowers is the best way to guarantee fruit production for plants in this genera.
Night blooming cereus is an epiphytic plant. That means it gets most of its moisture through roots that cling and climb easily. It can put out jointed stems up to fifteen feet long that attach to supports by roots that grasp onto the host. The plant does best when given adequate support and can grow well with very little help from the well-drained soil at its base.
The flowers are the remarkable feature of the night blooming cereus, making them worthy of a toast when they appear. Each stem will usually produce a single flower a year once the plant matures in two or three years. The buds appear at the end of a long stem and open for one night only. They unfurl just after sunset and in the morning, they close and drop off. The white flowers are large, up to 10 inches across, and have a sweet clove-scented fragrance. With lots of stems, you can get a staggered appearance of blossoms throughout the summer. With a smaller plant, the few blossoms are definitely deserving of a celebration.
The edible fruit of this night bloomer will only develop here in Hawaii with help. Because no natural pollinators exist here, hand pollination of the open flower (at night) is the best way to get fruit set. Good videos are available online demonstrating hand pollinating pitaya or dragon fruit, if you want to try it. In Latin America, where pollinators exist, the fruit of this particular night bloomer is known as pitaya and has a red skin and a tasty white interior.
Night blooming cereus is easily propagated vegetatively. The stems grow in segments and cutting off a segment is the best way to start a new plant. It is important to let the cutting sit for a week to 10 days to develop a hard callus at the base. Since this plant rots easily, the callus provides some rot protection.
Dipping your cutting in rooting hormone powder can improve success. Place the lower half-inch of the cutting in potting soil with some sand added for improved drainage. Attach the cutting to a stick to hold it upright until it develops supporting roots. Water only when the top of the soil dry out a bit. Your new plant should develop roots in about a month. Let it get a good start for three to six months before you move it.
Night blooming cereus does well in a sunny spot though some sun protection for the epiphytic roots will help them thrive. The plants require minimum maintenance. Prune only when needed to control height and size or to make cuttings. Insects do not usually attack this cactus though rotting diseases can cause problems. Be sure the soil at the base dries between waterings to prevent root rot.
Fertilizing your night blooming cereus lightly with a balanced fertilizer every few months will help it thrive. In late spring, choose fertilizer with a higher percentage of phosphorus and potassium to encourage summer flower production.
Night blooming cereus will grow best in soil that drains well and dries out a bit between waterings. As roots develop along the stem, keeping them misted will supplement the water supply for the plant.
Call around to local nurseries to find night blooming cereus unless you have a friend or neighbor who will give you a cutting. Of course, you can always call Sunrise Margo to find a plant for you if you need help. She’s at (808) 640-9191.
However you find your night blooming cereus, you can consider it a start to a cactus collection or you can use its blooming season as an excuse to hold an occasional nighttime champagne celebration. Happy cactus growing.
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.
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