How to Care for the Selenicereus Houseplant, the Queen of the Night or a Night Blooming Cereus
The fragrant white blossoms of a Selenicereus houseplant only open under cover of darkness. Also called the night-blooming cereus or the Queen of the Night, Selenicereus is a type of tropical cactus that requires darkness and warm temperatures to produce its summer blooms. The plant grows well as a houseplant when provided with proper lighting and warmth. Like most cactus varieties, Selenicereus thrives in clay and terracotta pots because the pots don't retain too much moisture. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Locate the pot near a window that receives bright, all-day sunlight. Select a warm room for the plant. Selenicereus thrives in temperatures near 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can also grow well at a standard room temperature of 72 F.
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Provide darkness from sunset until sunrise during the flowering period, which occurs from July to October. Indoor lighting can interfere with bud formation and blooming.
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Water the Selenicereus plant only when the soil feels dry throughout. Empty the water from the dish beneath the pot after irrigating the plant. Selenicereus requires no more than once-weekly watering, and can often go two weeks or longer before irrigation is necessary.
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Fertilize the plant once monthly during the spring and summer. Use a soluble fertilizer formulated for tropical houseplants. Apply it at half the strength recommended on the label.
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Prune the Selenicereus to control its sprawl. Cut back the straight stems to their base if they are thinner than a pencil. Prune back larger stem sections to a node, maintaining the plant's height at 2 to 3 feet tall. Prune the Selenicereus plant at any time during the spring or summer growing season.
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Tips & Warnings
The Hylocereus cactus genus also goes by the common name of night blooming cereus. While these cacti look similar and require the same basic care, they are not the same plant as the selnicereus varieties.
Indoor plants may benefit from grow lights during the short days of winter. Leave the lights on for 10 to 12 hours daily.
Set the pots outside in a location with filtered light during the summer, but indoors before temperatures drop below 55 F.
