Hello welcome to my little garden! Come look this is the flower i keep talking about all the time! Is not it so so pretty?! I just love it so much.
It’s called Epiphyllum but most people just say orchid cactus way easier to say right? Some folks here in our place call it queen of the night too and you will see why in a bit.
The name is simple really it just means the flowers grow right on top of its leaf like stems. You don’t have to remember all the hard stuff about where the name comes from it’s just nice to know why it’s called that! Unlike other cacti you see with super sharp spikes that can hurt you this one has smooth and soft stems. It’s really gentle!
You can put it in a regular pot like i did or if you have trees in your garden you can let it grow on them too it just likes to be where it feels good.
Now here’s the best part of all this flower only blooms every few weeks or so, and get this… IT ONLY OPENS UP AT NIGHT! I know right?! When the sun goes down and it gets dark outside you can actually watch it slowly open up bigger and bigger. By midnight it’s fully open bright white and shaped just like a star. It even smells really nice, like sweet candy or something.
But you have to be quick to see it because by the time morning comes and the sun comes up it’s already starting to fade away. It’s like a little secret that only comes out when everyone else is asleep! I take really good care of it here in Cagayan de Oro. It does not need tons of sun just a little bit of light and some shade is perfect. I water it when the soil feels dry not too much and not too little.
When i see buds starting to grow i get so excited! Sometimes my friends and neighbors come over to wait with me. We sit outside maybe have some snacks and talk and wait for the flower to open. It’s so much fun! It’s not just a regular flower to me it’s like a little special moment that you have to wait for and really enjoy while it lasts. That’s what makes it so special!