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Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus) is an epiphytic cactus native to Central America and the Caribbean. It is native throughout the Greater Antilles, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and Nicaragua, and a few other locations in South and Central America. It is found climbing on trees and on rocks at an altitude of 700 metres. The stems can reach several metres in length.

Each flower of Selenicereus grandiflorus blooms for a single night. The flowers are enormous, fragrant and white, and measure up to 30 cm in diameter. Most night-blooming cereus flowers open after nightfall, and by dawn most are wilting. In the genus Selenicereus the flowers are large and nocturnal, and may be pollinated by moths and bats. Flowering takes place in May or June, depending on region.

The true species is extremely rare in cultivation. Most of the plants under this name belong to other species or hybrids. The plant is fast-growing, though it takes two to three years to begin producing blooms. The names queen of the night and night-blooming cereus are also used for other species. The dried flowers of the night-blooming cereus are a common ingredient used in Cantonese slow-simmered soup.

Classification and variation

Selenicereus grandiflorus is an accepted species name in the cactus family, Cactaceae. The genus name Selenicereus joins the Greek word for moon with the Latin word for candle, and refers to the nocturnal flowers. The stems are extremely variable, especially in Jamaica, where margins ranging from slightly wavy to strongly knobby can occur on the same plant, which causes confusion in cultivation. Four subspecies are recognised. A hybrid with Selenicereus pteranthus, Selenicereus ×callianthus, also exists, and many plants sold under the species name may belong to this cross. The species is often confused with the genus Epiphyllum. Its conservation status is Least Concern. The fruit is ovoid and juicy, covered with clusters of spines and hairs that soon drop off.

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