What season does夜来香 (night-blooming cereus) bloom?
Let me share with you some simple knowledge about the blooming season of night-blooming cereus and some green plant maintenance tips, as follows:
night-blooming cereus is a favorite plant for many families, with flowers that usually bloom in the evening, emitting a strong and fragrant aroma. Let's take a look at when night-blooming cereus blooms and why it opens at night.
The fragrance of night-blooming cereus is strong and suitable for home planting, but it cannot be kept indoors for a long time because it can cause dizziness, coughing, and even asthma and insomnia. Let's take a look at when night-blooming cereus blooms and why it opens at night.
When does night-blooming cereus bloom?
Generally, the blooming period of night-blooming cereus is from May to October. The large span is influenced by factors such as variety, temperature, humidity, soil, and climate differences between the north and south, resulting in different seasons. In the north, the peak blooming season is in late June, while in the south, it is mostly in August to September, which is due to the high humidity caused by the hot weather in the south, making it suitable for night-blooming cereus to bloom.
Why does night-blooming cereus bloom at night?
1. This plant relies on ugly moths for pollination, unlike other flowers that are pollinated by bees and other small creatures. Since moths only appear at night, night-blooming cereus chooses to emit a strong fragrance at night to attract them, which is the plant's adaptive ability to the environment.
2. The stomata of night-blooming cereus are opposite to those of many other flowers. While other flowers close their stomata when the air is humid and open them when the air is dry, night-blooming cereus does the opposite. If the air is very humid, the stomata open widely, allowing the aromatic substances inside to expand quickly, making the fragrance stronger. At night, with no sunlight to evaporate, the ground temperature drops suddenly, cold air descends, and humidity increases sharply, making it easier for night-blooming cereus to bloom in such a humid environment and bloom more strongly.
Why doesn't night-blooming cereus bloom?
1. The flower buds of night-blooming cereus are formed on the bulbs in the previous year. If the bulbs planted are small and have not reached the flowering age, they will not bloom. Generally, the diameter of night-blooming cereus bulbs should reach 2.2 centimeters or more, with the flower spike primordium formed inside in the previous year, and only then will they bloom after planting.
2. Digging the bulbs too late or improper storage of bulbs during winter, with too low temperatures, dampness, or freezing, can cause the flower buds inside the bulbs to freeze or rot, preventing them from flowering the following year.
3. Digging the bulbs too early can affect the differentiation of the flower buds inside the bulbs, causing them not to bloom when planted in the second year.
4. Excessive application of nitrogenous fertilizer can lead to excessive stem and leaf growth, resulting in fewer flowers or even no flowering.
The introduction above about the blooming season of night-blooming cereus and a simple introduction to its blooming period is hoped to bring some floral knowledge to green plant enthusiasts.