CARE OF THE NIGHT BLOOMING CEREUS AKA "CHRIST IN THE MANGER"
Some things you need to know:
1. They don't do as well in full sun as in the shade. {Depending on where you live and the type of heat that you have in the summer}. I keep mine on my front porch which faces north. {I live in Southern Ohio on the river, summers here can get hot and humid}.
2. They like to be somewhat root bound [being root bound is the secret to getting it to bloom well] and will bloom better if they are. DON'T re-pot any more that every 3 yrs. and just go up 1 pot size. I use regular potting soil & peat moss, and add a hand full of bone meal. Mine are so big now that I just exchange the soil and don't go to a bigger pot. In a few years I will probably have to divide the plants again. I have done that once already.
Here is a copy of instructions that a friend of my Sister sent me, on the care of the Cereus a few years ago. Notice that this one is for the cactus type cereus. I have inserted my ideas into this letter in ALL CAPS, so you can see what my thinking and feelings are on what they say.
If you have any questions at all, no matter how silly you think they may sound, please write and ask. I love to help people grow and enjoy the "Christ In The Manger". This is the name that my Mother called the Cereus when I was growing up and it is what I call it also. I think the Queen of the Night is the name of the one that has a cactus looking tri-side stem, instead of the flat leaf.
Keep me informed of your progress & Good luck, Connie
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
Selenicereus Grandiflorus
Size and growth rate
Queen of the Night is a slender cactus with yard-long, looping stems which need support. It can get quite big. THEY WILL NOT GET THIS LONG IF YOU PINCH THE TIP OFF A STRAIGHT STEM WHEN IT GETS ABOUT A FOOT OR SO HIGH. THIS
FORCES IT TO PUT OUT LEAFS INSEAD OF GROWING LONG STEMS WITH 1 LEAF ON IT. NOTICE I SAID "STEM" NOT "LEAF".
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TO KEEPING IT LOOKING BEAUTIFUL YEAR ROUND. IT WILL PUT OUT LONG SHOOTS OR STEMS & ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PINCH ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH OFF THE TIP END WHEN IT GETS TO YOUR DESIRED HEIGHT AND THAT WILL FORCE IT TO PUT OUT LEAFS. The tip is very soft and easy to pinch off.
Flowering and Fragrance
The flowers are trumpet shaped and grow to a length of about 10 inches, with a diameter of 8 to 12 inches. The white petals are surrounded by yellow - brown bract I WOULD CALL MY BRACTS PINK AND NOT YELLOW-BROWN. The plant
characteristically blooms very briefly in June/July. MINE BLOOM FROM JUNE TO SEPT OR OCT. DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER. Flowers last only one night and die early morning.
The flowers have a strong but pleasant fragrance."HEAVENLY" In its natural environment, the flower attracts night insects to pollinate it.
Light and Temperature
In the winter, the plant should have as much sun as possible. As soon as the spring sun comes, however, it should be given curtain-filtered sunlight. During the winter months the temperature should be about 55 deg. to 65 deg.F , but in the summer, it can tolerate higher temperatures. SEE NOTE BELOW
Watering and Feeding
The soil should be kept moist from November to April. I DON'T KEEP MINE MOIST THROUGH THE WINTER MONTHS. I water them when they feel dry on top. Throughout the summer, water frequently and feed the plant with a weak plant food solution. Mist the plant frequently. 10-10-10 IS GOOD FOOD & DON'T MIST IF IT IS IN THE SUN! I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE 10-10-10 SO I STARTED USING THE 20-20-20, AND JUST ADDING HALF AS MUCH AS WHAT IT CALLS FOR PER GALLON
Soil and Transplanting
Queen of the Night likes a rich peaty soil, and the pot should be well drained. The plant can be re-potted about once every three years when flowering is over. I HAVE ALWAYS DONE MY RE-POTTING IN THE SPRING, MAINLY BECAUSE IN THE FALL WHEN I BRING THEM IN THE HOUSE THEY USUALLY HAVE A FEW BUDS STILL ON THEM. JUST GO UP 1 POT SIZE AS YOU WANT IT TO STAY ROOT BOUND.
Grooming
Queen of the Night is not usually trimmed, but if it becomes too large for its environment, it will not be harmed if is is carefully groomed back.
THIS I DO NOT AGREE WITH, IF YOU DON'T TRIM IT WILL GROW LONG AND STRAGGLY AND WON'T PRODUCE THE RIGHT SIZE LEAF TO BLOOM! ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW IS THAT IT IS THE "OLD LEAVES" THAT PRODUCE THE BUDS, SO NEVER REMOVE THEM.
Propagating
Queen of the Night is increased by cuttings. Carefully trim off the young fresh side shoots which should be 34 to 6 inches long. It is very important that the shoots are not too old. Once a cutting has been take, allow the surface of the wound to dry. Then set it in pure peat, sticking it in to a depth of about an inch. Long, thin cuttings should be supported. Keep the soil moist.
{ I DISAGREE WITH MOST OF THIS, YOU CAN TAKE A LEAF OR A BARE STEM AND PUT IT DIRECTLY INTO THE SOIL OR WATER, AND IT WILL ROOT } THIS COULD BE BECAUSE THEY ARE REFERRING TO THE CACTUS TYPE CEREUS & NOT THE FLAT LEAF ONE.
Environment
Queen of the Night is a tropical apiphyte which thrives best in high humidity and high temperature. At home it will do best with other plants in the greenhouse, or on the sun porch.
Buying tips
Queen of the Night is one of the rarer cacti. The plant should be completely undamaged and free of brown patches on the shoots.
IF YOU GET BROWN SPOTS ON A LEAF IT IS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY ONE OF TWO THINGS. 1. SUN BURN {IN SUMMER} 2. COLD DRAFT {IN WINTER} EITHER WAY JUST IGNORE IT OR YOU CAN CUT AWAY THE BROWN SPOT BUT DON'T REMOVE THE WHOLE LEAF. IT MAY BE ONE THAT WILL PRODUCE BLOOMS.
Life-span
Queen of the Night can grow to a ripe old age. The first flowering comes after a few years. MY PLANTS HAVE A 50+ ROOTS IN THERE SOMEWHERE. ALWAYS REMEMBER IT IS THE OLD LEAFS THAT BLOOM AND NOT THE NEW ONES. I WOULD GUESS THAT IT MAY TAKE A NEW LEAF ABOUT 4 - 7 YEARS TO BLOOM FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS IS MERELY A GUESS.
Season
Can be bought throughout the year. {I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU CAN BUY THEM. I HAD A FLORIST ASK ME FOR ONE OF MINE BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T FIND ONE}
Difficulty quotient
Queen of the Night should be grown on a sun porch, in a heated greenhouse, or in a living room with a south facing window.
MINE ARE IN A GLASSED IN SUN ROOM FACING EAST AND HAVE DONE VERY WELL THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS, FOR SUMMER THEY ARE ON THE FRONT PORCH IN ALMOST FULL SHADE FACING NORTH.
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT through the year December - March : Keep the temperature between about 55 - 65 deg. F.
MINE ARE AT THE SAME TEMP. AS THE REST OF
THE HOUSE, FOR OUR COMFORT. ABOUT 70 DEG. DAY AND 65 NIGHT. IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUT OF DRAFT IF POSSIBLE.
Water carefully, making sure that the soil around the roots is kept moist. The plant should have direct sunlight during the winter months. I DON'T WATER MINE THAT MUCH THROUGH THE WINTER, I NEVER KEEP THE SOIL MOIST, LET IT GET ALMOST DRY BEFORE WATERING AGAIN.
APRIL - SEPTEMBER : When the spring sunshine brings some warmth, give the plant curtain filtered sunlight. WHEN THE THREAT OF FROST IS GONE, AND THE NIGHTS WARM UP TO 50 DEG. I PUT THEM OUTSIDE ON MY FRONT PORCH WHICH FACES NORTH. {USUALLY LATE APRIL OR EARLY MAY, HERE IN OHIO.
From April onward, gradually increase watering. The plant needs a lot of water, and during the summer months it should also be misted frequently.
DON'T MIST IN THE SUNSHINE OR YOU WILL BURN THE LEAFS. ALSO NOW IS WHEN YOU WANT TO START FERTILIZING IT. I USE A 10-10-10 PETER'S FERTILIZER. IN APRIL ABOUT ONCE A MONTH
From May to the end of August, the plant should be fed twice a month. I AGREE
JUNE - JULY : If need be, the plant can be re-potted after flowering. It is usually enough to repot once every three years using a rich soil (preferably a mixture of 1/3 ordinary soil and 2/3 peat).WHEN I RE-POT I ADD A HANDFUL OF BONE MEAL TO THE SOIL AND MIX IT IN. I USE ABOUT 1/2 AND 1/2 PEAT & POTTING SOIL. Good drainage is a must. I HAVE THE BOTTOM OF THE POT FULL OF RIVER GRAVEL, THIS IS GOOD FOR WATER DRAINAGE AND ALSO TO WEIGH THE BOTTOM DOWN, TO KEEP THE PLANT FROM GETTING TOP HEAVY. I use a tomato stake in each of my pots to stake them up, and tie them to the stake with old sheets torn into strips.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER:Queen of the Night should be placed in a spot with as much sun as possible, keeping the temp. between 55 - 65 deg. F.
I HAVE MINE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE. THEY GET MORNING DIRECT SUN AND THE REST JUST LIGHT. IT SEEMS TO WORK FOR ME.
I WILL FERTILIZE MINE WHEN I BRING THEM BACK INTO THE HOUSE IN THE FALL, THEN AGAIN AROUND FEB. AND THEN AGAIN IN APRIL, BEFORE I PUT THEM BACK
OUTSIDE.
BRING THEM BACK INSIDE IN THE FALL. SINCE MINE ARE WELL PROTECTED FROM THE NIGHT FROST I WILL LEAVE MINE OUT UNTIL AFTER AT LEAST THE FIRST LIGHT FROST. THEY SAY THAT THE COOL NIGHTS OF FALL IS WHAT SETS THE BUDS ON FOR THE NEXT SUMMER. JUST DON'T LET THE FROST HIT THE LEAFS.
GOOD LUCK
Connie
