Queen of the Night
Epiphyllum hookeri

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

An ornamental cactus. It grows attached to other plants in the forest. It grows 2 m high. The main stem is narrow and cylinder shaped. The branches are narrow and flat. They are bluish-green and 8 cm across. These do not have spines. There are coarse teeth along the edges. The flowers come out at night. They are 25 cm long and on a slender green tube 15 cm long.

There are about 20 Epiphyllum species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It needs light shade. It needs a temperature above 15°C.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Belize, Central America, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, South America, Trinidad, Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The petals of the flowers are boiled and eaten.

Edible parts

Flowers

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Calienta el hueso, Chik' ba'l b'ak', Gekka-no-bijin, Reina de la noche, Tan hua, Ticrebac

Synonyms

Cereus hookeri (Haw.) Pfeifer; Cereus marginatus Salm-Dyck [Illegitimate]; Epiphyllum phyllanthus var. hookeri (Haw.) Kimnach; Epiphyllum phyllanthus subsp. hookeri (Haw.) U. Guzmán; Epiphyllum ruestii (Weing.) F. M. Knuth; Epiphyllum stenopetalum (C. F. Först.) Britton & Rose; Epiphyllum strictum (Lem.) Britton & Rose; Epiphyllum strictum var. ruestii (Weing.) Borg; Phyllocactus hookeri Salm-Dyck; Phyllocactus stenopetalus C. F. Först.; Phyllocactus strictus Lem.;