Tom Kingsbury's pictures September, 2009
Queen of the night
Tom won the photo contest at the September 2009 meeting with this magnificent plant.
It is called the Night blooming Cereus or Queen of the night. Latin name is epiphyllum oxypetalum.
Tom says this year it produced 11 blooms, the most ever, during he week of September 14. It blooms only at night starting at dusk and each bloom lasts only one night. This year the blooms lasted into the morning, probably because it was late in the summer. The blooms are about 10" across and very fragrant.
The plant in a pot on the deck.
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A bud full of promise |
A partially opened bud. |
An open flower with more buds.
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You must have been sleep deprived Tom, getting all these shots by night. |
Is the star at the mouth the stigma or a lure for moths?
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Thank you Tom for these exquisite photos.