• Photo of Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Epiphyllum oxypetalums)

Plant Profile: Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Taxonomy: Epiphyllum oxypetalum

Names

Dutchman's pipe cactus, Lady of the Night, Night-blooming Cereus, Queen of the night

  • Photo of Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Epiphyllum oxypetalums)

Phonetic Spelling:ep-ih-FE-lum ks-ee-PET-al-um

Genus:Epiphyllum

Species:oxypetalum

Family:Cactaceae

The Queen of the Night is a captivating cactus that blooms at night, showcasing large, fragrant white flowers that wilt by morning. Instead of traditional leaves, it features flattened stems that can be easily propagated. This plant thrives in a well-draining soil mix designed for succulents or cacti and prefers full sun to partial shade. As temperatures drop, it’s best to bring the plant indoors and reduce watering to just once or twice a month during the winter months.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Feature Summary

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant
#white
#fragrant flowers
#white flowers
#bats
#nighttime garden
#large flowers
#cactus
#night blooming
#patio planting
#container plants

Similar Plants

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Feature Summary

Attributes
S. Mexico, Central America
Large flowers pollinated by bats.
Flowers
Huge showy white fragrant blooms.
7 - 20 petals/rays
> 6 inches
Leaves
No true leaves but flattened stems with crenate and wavy margins
Crenate
Undulate
Whole Plant Traits
Houseplant
Succulent
Multi-stemmed
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
10a
10b
11a
11b
12a
12b
Landscape
Nighttime Garden
Container
Patio

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Attributes

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Country Or Region Of Origin

S. Mexico, Central America

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Wildlife Value

Large flowers pollinated by bats.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Flowers

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Description

Huge showy white fragrant blooms.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
White

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Leaves

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Leaf Description

No true leaves but flattened stems with crenate and wavy margins

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Whole Plant Traits

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Cultural Conditions

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
12a
thermostat
12b

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Stem

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Stem Color

grass
Green

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Epiphyllum oxypetalum Landscape

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Epiphyllum oxypetalum: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees