After dinner, I often go out to my deck and enjoy the fact that the temperature is a few degrees cooler than it was a few hours ago, while appreciating the fireflies that are beginning to come out. Only now it’s even more special because I’ve planted some flowers around the deck that bloom at night.
Night Bloomers I’m Enjoying
- Moonflowers: These relatives of the Morning Glory open their flowers during the late afternoon. They vine up to 10 feet or so and carry big white Morning Glory flowers that open only at night, with a wonderful fragrance. The sap can be irritating; wash your hands after handling and do NOT ingest it.
- Tuberose: Another fragrant evening bloomer is the Tuberose, aka Agave amica (used to be known as Polianthes tuberosa). This is another incredibly fragrant night bloomer. Plant the bulbs after all danger of frost is past. You can save the bulbs from year to year by digging in the fall before the first frost and storing them in a cool, dry place.
- Four O’clock: Another night-blooming treat is the Four O’clock, aka Mirabilis jalapa. These are pretty flowers, (often in pink, yellow and white) with a sweet fragrance but only after dark. The flowers usually open later afternoon—around four—hence the name.
- Nicotiana: Commonly known as Flowering Tobacco, Nicotiana is another night bloomer. This plant, believe it or not, is a member of the Solanaceae family—related to tomatoes, peppers and tobacco. It is about five feet tall with long tube shaped flowers that are, yes, guessed it—fragrant at night.
- Night Phlox: aka Aaluzianskya ovata is a low growing flower with numerous small white flowers that are fragrant.
Other Night Bloomers
This is not a complete list by any means. There are plenty of other night-blooming wonders out there. These are just the ones I’ve tried successfully to grow and enjoy. Most night fragrant flowers are pollinated by moths which are attract to the sweet fragrances.
And there are even a couple of mine that are houseplants! One is the Brassavola nodosa or Lady of the Night orchid. It’s a somewhat petite orchid with pretty white heart-shaped flowers with a sweet night fragrance. The other is the Epiphyllum oxypetalum, aka Queen of the Night. It’s an epiphytic cactus (it has flattened leaf stems like the Christmas cactus does) that is incredibly fragrant with flowers often 8 to 12 inches in diameter that last ONE night.
So this is just something to try and enjoy. Their fragrances are awesome!