A narcotic white-floral explosion that exists only for one night. Queen of the night smells like jasmine, vanilla, and gardenia fused in darkness, overpowering and fleeting.
Overwhelmingly rich, narcotic white-floral. Jasmine, vanilla, and gardenia fused into a single blast. Sweeter and more intense than any individual white flower. A slight green-cactus undertone provides an unexpected freshness. The intensity is the defining quality: this flower has one night to attract every pollinator within range.
Evolution over time
Immediately
Immediately
Overwhelming narcotic white-floral burst
After a few hours
After a few hours
Rich jasmine-vanilla-gardenia fusion
After a few days
After a few days
Soft sweet-floral warmth, fading
The Full Story
Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus) is an epiphytic cactus native to Central America and the Caribbean. Its enormous white flowers bloom only once, for a single night, releasing an intensely powerful fragrance to attract nocturnal pollinators (bats and moths). By morning, the flower has wilted.
The scent is a intense in the plant kingdom: a rich, narcotic white-floral with jasmine, vanilla, and gardenia qualities, amplified by the urgency of a single night's bloom. The flower produces large quantities of volatile terpenoids and benzenoid compounds, maximizing its scent output in the few hours available.
In perfumery, queen of the night is a fantasy note (no commercial extraction from this cactus flower). The accord captures the drama of the one-night bloom: an overwhelmingly rich, narcotic white-floral that suggests darkness, urgency, and fleeting beauty. It functions in the heart of nocturnal, dramatic, and white-floral compositions.
This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.
Selenicereus grandiflorus flowers begin opening at about 10 PM and are fully open by midnight. By 3 AM, they begin to wilt. The entire bloom cycle takes about five hours. In the wild, the plant may only bloom once or twice a year.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: No commercial extraction. The flowers bloom for only one night, making harvest logistically impossible at scale. The perfumery note is a fantasy accord built from concentrated white-floral materials.
Molecular Formula
N/A - natural blossom
CAS Number
8007-78-1
Botanical Name
Selenicereus grandiflorus
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
Night-Blooming Cereus, Cactus Flower
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Lasting Power
Good — 12-24 hours on blotter
Appearance
Large white flowers (no commercial extract)
In Perfumery
Queen of the night is a fantasy heart note in nocturnal, dramatic, and white-floral compositions. It provides maximum narcotic floral intensity with jasmine-vanilla-gardenia richness. Built from combined white-floral materials at high concentration with vanilla and green modifiers. The one-night-bloom narrative gives it poetic weight. Useful in compositions exploring darkness, urgency, and ephemeral beauty.
