10 Types of Night Blooming Cereus

Queen of the Night Cactus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)

Queen of the Night cactus is also called "Dutchman's pipe," but don't confuse it with the vine of the same name, (Aristolochia macrophylla).

Most types of night blooming cereus need watering more frequently than other cacti that grow in arid deserts. Don't let their soil dry out completely. Epiphyllum species are native to rainforests, so give more water when watering them. Feed them every other week in spring and summer with a fertilizer specifically for cacti.

Usually, when a plant is root-bound, that's a bad thing. But that's not necessarily the case with this plant. The more root-bound it is, the more likely it is to flower. In the wild, it can become 10 feet tall, but as a houseplant, it'll grow only 1 to 2 feet tall.

• USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11
• Color Varieties: White
• Sun Exposure: Bright, but not in direct sunlight
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Red Orchid Cactus (Epiphyllum 'Fifty Grand')

Epiphyllum cacti are also called "orchid cacti" and come in a number of cultivars. The 'Fifty Grand' cultivar bears 8-inch, deep, rosy-pink flowers. Grown in a hanging basket, this hybrid can be hung in a pergola outdoors in summer. Care requirements are the same as for Epiphyllum oxypetalum. It grows 1 to 2 feet tall.

• USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11
• Color Varieties: Red
• Sun Exposure: Bright, but not in direct sunlight
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Pink Orchid Cactus (Epiphyllum 'Thousand Pinks')

The 'Thousand Pinks' hybrid cultivar of orchid cactus is a type of night blooming cereus that bears 6 to 8-inch pink flowers. The Epiphyllum genus is epiphytic in the wild, growing right on trees (rather than in the ground) and needing just the bit of soil and nutrients trapped in tree crotches. That's why Epiphyllum flowers better root-bound than when in pots with more soil in them. 'Thousand Pinks' grows 3 feet tall. If pollinated, the flowers mature into tasty edible fruit.

• USDA Growing Zones: 9 to 11
• Color Varieties: Pink
• Sun Exposure: Bright, but not in direct sunlight
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Hooker's Orchid Cactus (Epiphyllum hookeri)

The petals of this type of night blooming cereus are much narrower than those of Epiphyllum oxypetalum; they're also less fragrant. But care requirements are the same as for Epiphyllum oxypetalum. The plant matures to 1.5 to 3 feet tall, with blooms that are 9 inches long and 8 inches wide.

• USDA Growing Zones: 9 to 11
• Color Varieties: White
• Sun Exposure: Bright, but not in direct sunlight
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Dragon Fruit Cactus (Hylocereus undatus)

Dragon fruit cactus is another type of night blooming cereus. Its large flowers appear from July through October. Dragon fruit cactus also bear neon-pink edible fruits. Like Epiphyllum, Hylocereus needs more water in hot weather. In summer, give it a deep watering three times a week. Feed every other month in summer with a low nitrogen cactus fertilizer. But barely water it at all in winter. It grows 5 to 10 feet tall and needs support for its heavy fruit.

• USDA Growing Zones: 9 to 11
• Color Varieties: White, with yellow center and outer petals
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Deer Horn Cactus (Peniocereus greggii)

Deer horn cactus is another type of night blooming cereus that can grow up to 10 feet tall in the wild, where it performs best in sandy soil mixed with caliche. In containers, it only needs watering 3 to 5 times a month in a warm environment (less often in a cool one). In winter it should be barely watered at all. Feed it with a fertilizer specifically for cacti two or three times annually for optimal performance.

• USDA Growing Zones: 9 to 10
• Color Varieties: White, pink
• Sun Exposure: Filtered sunlight
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Vanilla Cactus (Selenicereus grandiflorus)

Vanilla cactus is related to dog tail cactus (Selenicereus testudo), another night bloomer. Water it regularly, but don't overwater it. It can tolerate a little more shade than many cacti. This plant grows 1 to 2 feet tall.

• USDA Growing Zones: 10 to 11
• Color Varieties: Pink, yellow, white, off-white
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi)

This columnar plant becomes 10 to 20 feet tall if grown outdoors, and since it's a bit hardier than most types of night blooming cereus plants (zone 8), more gardeners have an opportunity to grow it outdoors. It needs less watering and more sun than Epiphyllum. San Pedro cactus is multi-stemmed and fast-growing. Like the better-known peyote, it is hallucinogenic.

• USDA Growing Zones: 8 to 10
• Color Varieties: White
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Fertile, well-drained

Cardeiro (Cereus jamacaru)

Cardeiro (Cereus jamacaru) is a type of night blooming cereus plant that belong to the Cereus genus. It is native to a dry region of Brazil, so it needs less water. You can allow the soil of this type of night blooming cereus to dry out almost completely before watering again. It is tree-like (it can grow to 20 feet tall in the wild) and bears edible, pinkish-red fruit.

• USDA Growing Zones: 9 to 11
• Color Varieties: White, with pink outer petals
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Well-drained

Peruvian Apple Cactus (Cereus peruvianus)

This is another type of night blooming cereus with edible fruit. Feed it with a slow-release fertilizer specifically for cacti throughout the growing season. During the summertime, give it a deep watering three times a week to support the new growth and fruit production. But barely water it at all in winter. It can grow up to 30 feet tall in the wild.

• USDA Growing Zones: 8 to 11
• Color Varieties: White, pink
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Well-drained