How to care for Queen of the Night
Epiphyllum oxypetalum · Cactaceae
A big, rangy jungle cactus grown for one legendary event: dinner-plate-sized, intensely fragrant white flowers that open after dark and wilt by morning. The plant itself is a sprawl of flat, strap-like stems that need room and patience — often a few years before the first bloom. Devotees plan whole evenings around flowering night. Water roughly every 10 days while it's growing (about every 24 in winter), give it bright, indirect light, kept above 50°F (10°C) — average room humidity suits it.
Care at a glance
Water when the top few centimeters dry in the warm months; it is an epiphyte that likes moisture with excellent drainage.
Bright, filtered light with a little gentle morning sun; harsh afternoon sun yellows and burns the flat stems.
Half-strength balanced feed monthly, switching to low-nitrogen in late summer to favor buds.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Rotting it in dense, wet soil — it lives in tree crotches, not garden loam.
- Repotting and pampering it into eternal leafy growth with no blooms.
- Scorching the flat stems in an afternoon-sun window.
Seasonal tips
- A cooler, drier winter rest (10-14 C) strongly encourages summer flowering.
- It blooms best when slightly rootbound — resist frequent repotting.
- When a bud forms, do not move the plant; check it at dusk so you don't miss the one-night show.
Is it safe for pets?
We couldn’t place Queen of the Night on a toxic or a non-toxic list, so its toxicity is unconfirmed — which is not the same as safe.
Full pet-safety details for cats & dogsCare for your Queen of the Night on autopilot
Ploomily turns this guide into a Living Schedule — watering tuned to your city’s climate, the season, the pot and the light, and feeding tuned to that same pot, drainage and light, following the growing season and pausing while the plant rests. The founding price in force today is shown in full before you confirm, and locked for as long as you stay subscribed — with 30 days to change your mind.
Build my Living ScheduleQueen of the Night is featured in
More cactus plants
Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against those lists or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.