Selenicereus wercklei (Moonlight Cactus)

Selenicereus wercklei is a night-blooming cactus in the same genus as the famous queen-of-the-night, native to Mexico's western coastal regions where it grows as a climbing, vining cactus in tropical dry forest. The common name moonlight cactus captures its essential character: the large, white or pale flowers open after dark, reaching full expression in the hours around midnight, and close before sunrise. Each bloom lasts just a single night, which makes watching one open a particular event in a plant collector's calendar.

As a houseplant, Selenicereus grows as a long, trailing or scrambling vine with ribbed, grayish-green stems that can reach several feet over time. It is content in a bright window with indirect light, average household humidity, and standard cactus care: water moderately during the growing season, reduce in winter, and always let the soil dry somewhat between waterings.

The fragrance is sweet and intense, filling a room the way a gardenia does.