This is the my first ever epi bloom and it is going to give me three..probably on the same night. Looks like it will be any night now, too. I'll probably camp out on the porch in my rocker half the night, just inhaling and admiring. The neighbors need something new to talk about anyway....
if your neighbors are anything like mine, your middle name will now be "bless her heart"
:)
Hey, did they open? I'd love to see a picture! What type is it?
I know just what you mean about "camping out". It would be heartbreaking to miss those beauties when they open.
"bless your heart"! :)
if it makes you feel any better, Eudora Welty (queen of the Southern short story) used to hold parties when her night blooming cereus bloomed.....
Now that is cool...I'd have done that if I'd hd anybody ithat I thought would come. LOL! All three blooms opened the same night...and, of course, we had a storm that night, which made getting clear phtos difficult because, even with bright lantern light, the shutter had to stay open longer and with the wind blowing, it ws hard to get the flowers to be still, even when I was holding them.
I took a series of photos at one hour intervals for the first few hours, then I waited till they were open and went out and took the final pics. I'll post the photo sequence when I get a chance. It has been a little busy around here..between family reunions, company, and trips..not to mention mowing, planting a daylily order from Marryott's (GREAT plants and very generous). I think I need about three days of solid sleep to catch my breath...but who has time for that?????
BamaBelle;
When you've time to catch up, and recoop. Please share pics. of the blooms? Are they hardy in our zones? I'm a fortunate reciepient of "Queen of the Night" cereus. Temp. requirement is above 55 Degrees, but if they grow very large/tall I'm trying to figure out a way to transport them, also provide enough space for these to climb on. Needless to say it's going to be a challenging task. But it's worth it.
Did they look like this?
Lily - I looked up Vincent, AL and discovered that Tuscaloosa is just about half way between us! I feel like we are sorta neighbors!
Epis can take up a *lot* of room. I am fortunate to have a fair size greenhouse and so far have been able to let my epis ramble more or less as they please. But pruning is in the near furture for a couple of them. I would love to trade plants for some different types - all of mine are e. hookerii - but I will also have some cuttings to give away. I'm still confused about some of the names used. Many people use the term "Queen of the Night", but some of the bloom pictures I see look like oxypetalum, so I'm not sure exactly how your's compares to mine. If you want a hookerii I'll be happy to supply you!
headland - I see you are close to Dothan. We generally spend the night in the Dothan area when we drive to Florida to visit family. Maybe on the next trip we can meet for supper and chat. (Don't hold your breath! DH hates to travel and swears that we will fly instead of driving from now on!)
ginni
It's a pleasure discovering neighboring gardeners whose we can easily visit by little distance. Tehehehe, Ginni, DH doesn't like driving either, and we're going to LARU this Sept. Mine is small cuttings that were shared by other gardeners friends here at home. Hylocereus undatus? I thought I found one post on DGer recently. Can't find the thread now. These were grown under shade trees and appeared massive given the right condition.
I can't wait to see your bloom pics!!!! I'll trade you some of mine for one of yours! As you can see, I have entirely *too* many of just one kind - by the way there are three more that aren't in this picture! HELP! I can't stand to throw the cuttings away so I always end up potting them and then I have even more that really need new homes. I'll meet you in Northport whenever just to give you two or three of these!
ginni
if you're driving through Thomasville GA let me know....I make a great adoptive parent!
:)
tgif: It is my understanding that Epiphyllium oxypetalum is also known as Queen of the Night, Night Blooming Cereus and Dutchmans Pipe!
I just acquired one this spring - guess it will be a while before I have to stay up all night!
I have an Epiphyllum oxypetalum: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2443/ that a friend gave me back in the mid 1970's. I love the plant, but rarely get to see it bloom since it does so at night and the plant is out in the corner of my backyard:
edited to say: This photo is from a couple of years ago.
This message was edited Jul 21, 2007 2:26 PM
Here's a pic I just took today: It might grow better if I'd feed it once in awhile!
Just out of curiosity, Plantladylin, do you overwinter yours indoors in your zone? How cold does the temp. drop during some harsh-winters?
I understand some citrus fruits crops and such suffers some frost damage in early springs, so epi, too can't handle anything less than 55F. ?
Kim
MIne has been outside in a pot in the yard for many, many years and when we are expected to have very cold temp's, which we do at times, I just cover it with an old blanket. If we ever have a hard freeze predicted, I move it onto our wood deck and cover it there with a blanket. We do occasionally have hard freezes here in East Central Florida but not very often. We have had pretty mild winters for the past 7 or 8 years. Last winter we had two nights in the low 30's but that was it. So far, so good with this Epi ... pretty hardy plant!
I gave one of my NBC to SiL in Tampa a couple of years ago. It is growing like crazy but no blooms yet. They like to be root bound to bloom. I hope it will bloom for her this year.
Kim, I would think that they couldn't stay outside in your area. Try it if you lose it I've got more. LOL
This is the one that I have. It is different form the one you posted Ginni.
Betty
Geez, Betty, I'm blushing. What have I done to deserve your kindness? lol, you should have seen me, how I won this hylocereus undatus. There was our group of 18 gardeners getting together and having fun. The theme was "Playing dirty Santa" I spotted the plant and was at awe with it. Make a long story short, I picked up the plant and announced that I didn't have "NO plant" while fumbling with my extra loose clothing and covet the long stalk under my shirts. The whole group just roared out with laughter, and took pity on me. No one else would pick on my cherrished little baby. At the end of our party. There was an *extra* pot of the same plant, which no one even bother to touch. So needless to say; I went home with two cuttings of my own, and I was like a child came home with extra lolypops from a slumber party. My new discovery, my new addiction? lol Would someone please spank my hand?
This message was edited Jul 23, 2007 7:48 AM
Sorry Lily, you are hooked and no amount of spanking on any portion of your anatomy will cure you!
And yes, they do best when brought in for the winter. They will tolerate a fair amount of cold but not freezes.
One of these days I *will* have more variety. I love my hookeriis, but would so enjoy other color blooms. The problem is that I need to find homes for some of the ones I have before I get anything else. I just don't have room for new ones in the greenhouse!
ginni
Silly Lilly....You would be helping me. I am like Ginni, Every year many go in the compost pile. LOL Just tooooo many plants to take care of. If I don't give away some of the excess they die. LOL
Betty
