Hi there! How are you? Today, I can’t wait to show you how to keep this fantastic plant healthy, so you can enjoy the beauty of its flowers for many, many years. as we will see, does not require much maintenancebut… there is always a trick that will be very useful for you to cover your needs.
Do you want to discover with me how to take care of the lady at night?
Contents
main Features
The lady of the night is known by other names such as galán de noche, cestro or zorillo. This plant is distinguished not so much by its appearance as by its ornamentation, but rather by its nocturnal aroma. And it is a plant that is not very beautiful, because it grows disorderly and looks rather wild. The lady of the night is a type of epiphytic cactus that can reach 5 meters in height as long as it is allowed and can grow in good conditions.
What stands out the most is the scent since it peaks at night and that’s when the flowers open. Only the flowers are responsible for the diffusion of this characteristic intense fragrance. It is quite a deep and persistent fragrance. Even with all the fame of this plant, there are many people who do not like this intense color.
The lady of the night, whose scientific name is Epiphyllum oxypetalum, is an epiphytic cactus. This word means that, like the climbing plants that we are used to seeing, like the bougainvillea or the jasmine, it climbs; but unlike these, it has no tendrils. So what it does is grow between the branches of trees and lean on them Not to fall.
How is the flower of the lady of the night?
During the summer period, some beautiful fragrant white flowers which will surely make you dream. Don’t forget to take a photo as they will only be open one night. Although they only last a few hours, the wait will have been worth it.
These they measure about 5-7 centimeters in diameter, and consist of many petals, which open for a single night. Therefore, as soon as you see the cocoon, we recommend that you monitor its opening.
Ladycare at night
Given these characteristics, if we want to have our Lady of the Night in perfect condition, the first thing we must do is locate him with his pot -never on the ground, because snails and other molluscs are very attracted to it- in an area exposed to direct sunlight. If you don’t have one available, you can choose to place it in partial shade, as long as that corner is very bright, otherwise the plant will not develop properly. Remember that if winter is cold where you live with temperatures below -2ºC, you must protect it inside your home.
To be a cactus, the most suitable substrate will be one that allows rapid drainage of water. A good mix is: 60% black peat moss, 30% perlite and 20% vermiculite. Likewise, watering should be occasional, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings to prevent the appearance of the dreaded fungi. You can enjoy and add cactus fertilizer drops in the irrigation water: you will see how pretty your Lady of the Night is!
Does the lady of the night want sun or shade?
Although there are a few varieties of this plant, we will select the most effective cultivation techniques. It is a type of plant that they need filtered sun and high humidity to grow best. If you want them to grow in good conditions, it is interesting to place them on supports or on a fairly leafy tree. This way it will not receive direct sunlight. The relative humidity must be high enough to reach values of 80%. If we do not have a tree so that the sunlight does not reach it directly, it is worth placing it in a shady place.
Also keep in mind that at temperatures below 7 degrees they can be tolerated but for a short time. It is best to place this plant in an area where the winter is not too harsh. If you want to reduce the care, it can be planted in a pot to be able to move it continuously according to the needs of the winter or summer period. They are plants that want to be outside and therefore it is essential that they are located in a well ventilated place and paying attention to too hot or too cold winds.
How to water it?
As for irrigation, it is a plant that needs water to flow quickly from the soil thanks to its good drainage. The substrate must be with a great contribution of humidity but without being completely soaked. Among the things we need to learn how to take care of the lady at night, it is essential that the soil is well drained. And it is that drainage is the ability of the soil not to leave puddles around it.
If during the flowering period this plant seems less turgid than usual, it may be on the verge of water stress. It is a normal behavior or more, since the plant is able to restore itself without any variation in the contribution and conventional delicate.
It is not the same thing that happens with other species of this genus which do not need so much humidity. You can’t let the soil dry out completely, but you have to water when the substrate is more or less a third of its time completely dry. This attention to watering is especially important during the growing and flowering season. During the fall and winter season, there is no doubt that the frequency of irrigation will be less.
Plagues and diseases
Another aspect of learning how to take care of the lady at night is the pests and diseases that can affect this plant. Although these plants are generally resistant to pests and diseases, the following symptoms can be observed:
- The plant shrivels and becomes limp
- Appears to be burned
- We found cracks in the branches
- Spots appear on the underside of the leaves
If any of these symptoms appear, it means that our lady of the night is attacked by parasites or diseases.
I hope with this information you can learn how to take care of the lady at night.