The Lack of Sleep and a Thing of Beauty!

   A few years ago, my brother gave me a piece of a plant that he had on his front porch.  He said that it was there when he moved into the house.  The home used to be our grandparents' place and I do recall there being a lot of plants there when our grandparents were alive.  The plant was a cactus of sorts and greatly resembled the Night Blooming Cereus that I had (from the same grandparents).  He said that his plant had never bloomed to his knowledge even though it was about 30 years old.  Hmm...well, it was still interesting so I gladly took my "leaf" home to root.  The cutting did well and soon became a huge plant that I lugged in and out of the greenhouse to protect.  I was happy with the night "non-blooming" cereus just because it was an interesting cactus.  Whereas the other cereus plant leaves were flat, these start out triangular and then flatten.  Such an odd addition to my "rainforest".

  Well, now three years after the gift of a cutting, the cactus decided it was time to bloom!  Last night, I stayed up far too late for this old lady just so I could view (and photograph) the bloom.  Needless to say, that 4am rising time came before I was ready but Bat, the cat, thought otherwise.  Happily, the bloom was still open although a bit weary itself.  I smiled as I stepped out the French doors before dawn.  Seeing that single flower well made up for the lack of sleep.

  Now comes the bit of studying time to find out exactly what type of night-blooming cactus this is.  There are so many different types out there!  Having the triangular stems (leaves) and the smaller bloom should help in the research.  Also, rooting more has become a priority!  

See You Next Summer!

   The Night Blooming Cereus plants have outdone themselves again this year.  For some reason, the plants really love the little care that I give them.  They flourish on neglect, obviously.  Each spring, I lug them out of the greenhouse and plop them in some shady place of the yard.  Occasionally, a bit of water is hosed on them and that is about it.  Then, over the course of the warm months, they bloom...lots.  In fact, it it has been about every two weeks that the plants reset buds and, when the time was right, the yard would smell divine with the scent of blooms.  I can only imagine the frenzy of the moths that surrounded the blooms at night.  I have to admit that I only made three viewings of the late night blooming times, this summer.  (Exhaustion is not a friend!)

  With the recent cold spell visiting us, I did my duty and lugged the heavy plants back into the greenhouse.  I figured the plants were finished blooming for the season.  Now, they can stay snug and warm for the duration of winter.  A couple of days ago, it was necessary to water the plants and you can imagine my surprise to find nine large buds on the cereus plants!  Oh, my!  Plants...you should be resting now.  

  Again, I was too sleepy to trek out to the greenhouse to see the flowers in the middle of the night but...BUT!...I headed out at 4am the next morning.  The blooms were still open at that wee hour so I did not fully miss their glorious display.  When I opened the door, the heavenly scent engulfed me and, once again, I was carried back to my grandparents' place and one of their many "Night Blooming Cereus Parties".  (Yes, that was a thing back in the day when I was a youngster.)  Those parties often found me dozing on Pop's shoulder far before the "grand viewing" but I was roused from slumber to see the giant flowers.  I stood in the greenhouse and whispered a "thank you" to Granddad for giving me my first Night Bloomer so many years ago.  And I whispered "thank you and see you next summer" to the blooms.

Here Today...

   Years and years ago, my granddad rooted a small branch of a Night Blooming Cereus for me.  The plant flourished and was soon putting on quite the show with its late night blooms.  Then came kids and the poor plant was sorely neglected as my attention was diverted to child rearing.  Somehow, the plant survived all of those years with little to no care other than protecting it from the cold.  After the kids were grown, I was able to turn my attention back to the gardens.  Time and weather (hurricanes) had wreaked havoc on most of the gardens but the cereus lived on through it all.  It was time to bring the plant back to its full glory.  I started rooting and sharing the plants with anyone who wanted one and potting dozens to keep.  I also spent much time enjoying the summertime blooms...albeit late at night.  The blooms are gone by daybreak.

  The odd timing and shortness of bloom-time got me to pondering (as I am prone to do about most everything, as of late.)  Perhaps, just perhaps, this plant is here for a reason...if you are inclined to seek the purpose of all things.  With the huge, 8 inch, frilly flowers representing the beauty of life in general, the shortness of bloom time could be a reminder that all things should be enjoyed in the moment.  We should take the time to be grateful for what we are granted...WHEN it is granted.  What is here today, may be gone tomorrow.  Folks, find time to be thankful for all things for nothing is guaranteed.  Life, itself, is fleeting.

Those Blooming Cuttings

   For the past few weeks, things have been a bit rough.  Health issues flared again.  That added to the extreme heat we have been enduring made it a bad time to be outside.  I was, once again, confined to the Little Bayou House.  This would not have been a problem except this time I was hit with "no lifting, no stretching, no overworking" orders by the doctor.  Work on the place came to a grinding halt.  Sheer exhaustion caused me to miss something that I was long awaiting.

   It was time for the first blooming of the cereus plants.  Buds were literally hanging everywhere! Each plant had 5 to 9 buds ready to open.  My plants were putting on quite the show and I so wanted to view it.  Sadly, the exhausted body had other plans.  With the plants blooming late at night, there was no earthly way I would be awake.  It was all I could do to venture out before the sun fully set to take a few photographs.  It saddened me to know the lovely blooms would go unseen.

  One thing that did surprise me was the fact that a cutting that I had tossed in "Pebble Creek" (the glorified gutter drain) had a huge bud.  The plant was not even in dirt!  Cereus plants root extremely easy in just a bit of water but for it to bloom there was a rare thing.  I felt bad for the plant and made a promise to get it in a pot as soon as the health permits.  Bloom happy, Cereus Plants!  Bloom happy.  I am sorry to miss your beauty.

Share A Cutting

  It sometimes bemuses me to see how expensive plants are.  I understand buying something for the first time but, once you own a plant, there is not a lot of reason to buy more of the same plant.  Root them or save seeds.  With just a little ingenuity, rooting plants is the way to go.  Most plants will indeed try to reproduce one way or another.  Plants are just like every living thing.  They want to reproduce.

  Earlier this month, I had given Darling Daughter a bunch of Night Blooming Cereus plants that I had rooted.  (By a bunch, I mean a car packed with plants.)  This evening, she told me that one of the plants had 6 buds on it and she was anxiously awaiting for them to open.  Mine are budding again but that is beyond the point.  The point is that the rooted plants are doing so well. They were all rooted by just breaking off some leaves and tossing them in the gutter drain better known as Pebble Creek.  There are still rooted cuttings among the gravel just waiting to be potted.  Folks, don't give in to those that are overpricing things.  Five minutes with a pair of snips and a jar of water is all you need for most rootings.  Snip, put in a jar of water and wait about a month.  There you have it.  New plants.  This works really well if you have a neighbor with different plants!  Swapping cuttings can give both of you a bunch of free plants. Just a thought...just a thought.

The Morning After...

   Last night, Son walked out with me to view the Night Blooming Cereus.  The plants are potted and sit on a plank bench near Pebble Creek (the glorified roof drain).  I know it is probably silly but these plants have a strong meaning to me.  These are direct descendants of plants that Granddad grew. In fact, he rooted my very first plant and gave it to me when I was still in high school.  Over the years, I rooted more until I have a dozen and have shared with all my friends.  I did, however, almost lose every one during Hurricane Katrina.  There was no way to protect the plants and, at the time, that was the least of my worries.  Afterward during the massive cleanup, I found one small "leaf" and from that started anew.  The memories of "Night Blooming Cereus Parties" still hold a special place in my heart.  About a week ahead, we were put on "bud watch".  As the tiny buds grew, so did the excitement (at least for me.)  Then, on the big night, the family would drive over to my grandparent's place and we would have supper and wait for the buds to open.  The buds usually began to open around 8pm but were not in their full grandeur until about 10pm.  That late hour added to the intrigue.  It was one of the few times that I was ever allowed to be up late and especially to be that late at someone's house.  It was special!  Like I said, Son and I went out to view the blooms.  Nine of the buds were opening!  I marveled at the beauty and the aroma.  Son, on the other hand, patiently humored his mom.  

  Then...the day after.  The morning after the blooming, the excitement fades and a sort of sadness settles in to replace it.  The blooms of the cereus only last for one night.  They open late and then before dawn, the blooms start to wane.  By sunrise, the once dinner-plate-sized blooms are sad, wilted remnants of themselves.  This morning, I snapped off the spent blooms and tossed them to the wayside.  They were done.  I was sad.  Until tonight!  More buds are set to open tonight and for the next few nights.  This is the third time this summer that the plants have set buds.  I think I finally found the perfect spot for them to flourish.  Sadly, however, not a one of the plants that I shared with friends and family have bloomed yet.  Perhaps they are lonely and I should root some more!  Granddad would have.  He always said that if you want your plants to do well, then you should share them with others.  It works, for sure.  Memories...tied to plants, just like to people are well worth hanging onto.