Cooperative Living August 2018 - 31

obviously felt it deserved.
The August drama began with a small
outgrowth of the flat leaf. An elongated
bud emerged, enclosed by fringy pink
tentacles. This event marks the time to
alert your friends that a nighttime party
is imminent. Nature cannot be rushed,
however. One of the best things about
growing the Queen is that she enhances
your powers of observation. Since each
nocturnal bloom lasts only one night,
you don't want to miss it, so you learn to
be in tune with small changes and enjoy
the anticipation!
Within a few days the stem makes a
pronounced dip next to the bowl-like
bud (which gives the plant another of its
common names, Dutchman's Pipe
cactus). When you can begin to glimpse
the white petals under the pink sepals,
you need to tune in your keenest
observational powers. You will be
rewarded with witnessing an actual
shuddering of the bloom as it summons
its energy for the big show. Start
assembling your friends and uncork
the wine to watch the unfolding of
this wonder.
The bloom began to open for us just
after nightfall, around 8:30 p.m., to much
fanfare and to constant " oohs " and
" aahs. " The Queen had fully unfurled
her majestic petals by 9:30 p.m. The
paparazzi shot her from every angle. The
crowd was intoxicated - not by the
celebratory wine, but by her exotic
perfume that saturated the warm
summer air.
If you miss the first bloom, don't
worry - there will be other chances.
Older plants, like my friend's, have
several such productions in August and
Bring the bloom inside, move the party indoors, and gather round. Observe the delicacy of this
magnificent flower as it will be gone by daybreak.
September. And there are ways of
predicting the event, since experts think
the bloom times are related to humidity
or rainfall and that they seem to follow a
lunar cycle. So after rainy days, check
your cactus and check your calendar to
see when the full moon will appear, and
you can start a party plan. White petals,
of course, glow in moonlight, and the
sweet aroma of the bloom attracts
nocturnal pollinators that have coevolved
with some of the plants. So
although the event seems magical, it's
really just another part of Nature's
genius calculus.
To procure your own plant, you can
Party attendees " ooh " and " ahh " over the beautiful blossom of the Queen
of the Night. Plan your party around the bloom of this nocturnal catcus.
www.co-opliving.com
order inexpensive cuttings from many
sources, including Etsy and Amazon,
or buy a more
expensive and fully
rooted large plant
that will bloom
sooner. Many
people like to get
a cutting from a
friend and root it
themselves, but it
will take a couple
of years to become
blooming size.
Cut a 6-inch
piece of cactus
and lay it in a dim, dry place for three
days exposed to the air so that it forms
a callus before you even put it into soil.
Then fill a small clay pot with potting
soil, slightly dampened, and insert the
cutting 1-2 inches into the soil, firming
the soil around the plant's base. Place the
pot where the cactus will get bright light,
but no direct sun. Mist it with water to
keep the soil only slightly moist. After a
month, your cutting should have
developed roots. Some people like to use
rooting hormone to establish the plant.
Plants seem to like morning sun,
which is said to increase flower
numbers, and they dislike overwatering.
Blooms are also increased by feeding
monthly with a water-soluble houseplant
food, but hold off during the months of
December and January. Plants can be
used in hanging baskets or patio pots
and do not require repotting very often,
since they like being slightly root-bound.
The cactus can spend the winter
indoors in a cool room, where the
temperature does not dip below 45
degrees. The Queen needs her rest,
but will be building energy for her
next astonishing summer pageantry
where she is quite the crowd pleaser. 
August 2018 | Cooperative Living | 29

http://www.co-opliving.com

Cooperative Living August 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living August 2018