My great grandmother gave me a cutting of this epiphyllum before she passed in 1998. It has a gangly, unattractive growth habit. The photosynthetic stems shoot straight up only occasionally sending out flattened leaf like structures. It is from these "leaves" that the magic happens.
A small bud forms along a leaf vein. It takes a couple weeks or more for it to elongate and swell. Before opening it resembles a large Dutchman's pipe. As it begins to open in the evening you can literally watch it. Every 15 minutes there are visible changes. It resembles a cuttlefish swimming as the reddish calyxes flare out to reveal the pure white petals. Inside the stamens and pistil form an elaborate mesh. The scent is distinct but not particularly pleasant.
By morning its over. The entire flower has collapsed never to open again. Night blooming cereus teaches us the importance of enjoying the present. Or maybe the lesson is that anticipation last much longer than the actual moment, so revel in the entire process. Or maybe the lesson is: go out with a bang! Or maybe it is just a beautiful flower without any existential messages.
Honorable mentions go to white tree peony, Colchicum speciosum, Tom Pouce lily, and wild passionflower.
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