Xeriscape Landscaping Plants For The Arizona Desert Environment
Pictures, Photos, And Information
Cactus

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. This Is A Typical View Of This Plant In A Natural Environment. It Looks Like Dead Sticks On The Ground!

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. This Is A View From The Glendale Arizona Xeriscape Demonstration Garden.

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 5-24-2006. About Three Weeks Before Blooming It Sends These Shoots Out, Which Become Flowers.

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 6-14-2006. Tonight These Shoots Will Become Fragrant Flowers.

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 6-14-2006. Tonight These Shoots Will Become Fragrant Flowers.

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 6-14-2006. 11:31 PM. The Blossoms Are Blooming!

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 6-14-2006. 11:32 PM. The Blossoms Are Blooming!

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 6-15-2006. 12:44 AM. The Blossoms Are Still Blooming!

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 6-19-2006. 5:08 PM. The Blossoms Are Over Their Blooming. They Were Not Pollinated. The Flowers Drop Off.

Arizona Queen of the Night or Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Peniocereus greggiii. 3-4-2008. Root. They Will grow to over 100 Pounds.

Arizona Queen of the Night Peniocereus greggiii, Cactus Family ( Cactaceae ), Arizona Queen of the Night. Also called: Arizona Night Blooming Cereus, Night Blooming Cereus, Queen of the Night. Peniocereus greggii is a slender-stemmed cactus with a large underground tuber that can reach 10 - 12 inches in diameter, and weigh as much as 15 - 20 pounds. Some specimens have been reported to weigh slightly over 100 pounds. Its grey stems are four to six ribbed, to 1/2 inch in diameter, and resemble the stems of the trees and shrubs that often support them. The stems have short dark spines along the ribs. Flowers are large, salverform, nocturnal, often strongly scented, white, up to 5 - 6 inches in diameter. They last only for one night. Fruits are red, ovoid, sparsely spiny, fleshy, with about two hundred, shiny black seeds. The sphinx moth is the primary pollinator, with a few smaller moths and possibly an occasional bat at night. During the day in early morning, bees and flies can be seen on the flowers before they dry up. Blooming occurs usually in late Mid - June with most of the flowers normally opeing together on one night only. They usually close before the heat of the following day. This is usually in Mid - Morning. The stems can freeze back or be eaten and re-grow the following year. However, the Queen of the Night is frost tolerant, taking temperatures to near 27 degrees Farhenheit. Height: Growing under or in trees to a height of about 6 -7 feet. Flowers: 6-inch, white, flowers open at night. Plants must be about 5 to 7 years old before they flower. Either not fragrant at all, or very strongly so. Blooming Time: Mid - June in Phoenix. Segments: The grey stems are four to six ribbed, to 1/2 mm in diameter, they resemble the stems of the shrubs that often support them. The stems are armed with short dark spines along the ribs. Fruit: Red, ovoid, sparsely spiny, red flesh, with about two hundred, shiny black seeds. Elevation: 0 - 4,000 Feet. Habitat: Loose soils near, drainages and occurring under the canopy of a tree or shrub for shade. Native to large areas in central Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, western Texas, and south into Sonora, Mexico. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken At Glendale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, Arizona. June 14, 2006.

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