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Strong, vinelike cacti with angled or fluted spiny stems and large funnel-shaped flowers open and fragrant at night. Flowers are mostly white, sometimes touched or lined on the reverse with color. These are large plants for the collector or greenhouse owner, but can be grown in warm, sunny windows.

Bright sunlight is needed for fullest flowering; but temperature and humidity need not be extra high. To an average soil mixture, add a small amount of extra sand and some lime. Let soil dry thoroughly between waterings.

Propagate by seeds, or by stem cuttings that should be set aside and allowed to callus before inserting for rooting.

Succulent specialists offer several harrisia species, and some similar, allied night-blooming plants with the same cultural requirements. Harrisia bonplandi has thick stems clambering ten feet tall, and eight-inch white flowers from spring into fall. H. guelichi has thinner stems; and its white flowers are tinged green on the outside. Pink-flowering H. regeli is called pink moon cactus. H. tortuosa has white flowers and bright-red fruit.

Heliocereus speciosus, sun cereus, opens its large scarlet flowers in the daytime, and requires less sun. Hylocereus undatus is a night-bloomer with weak, thin stems and clinging aerial roots. One of the easier types for indoors is Nyctocereus serpentinus, with cylindrical stems and nocturnal white flowers.

Queen of the night, Selenicereus macdonaldiae, is a huge climber with foot-wide white flowers centered by golden stamens, open from dusk to dawn. It needs plenty of water in summer. Weberocereus is a group of slender climbers with smaller, pink flowers.

Family: Cactaceae
Common Name: Night-Blooming Cereus