Night Blooming Cereus Blooms Again

 It's only been a little over a year since our Night Blooming Cereus erupted into bloom. That was July 29, 2016. Previous blooms I've recorded have been on September 4, 2015 and on August 5, 2009. My understanding was that this plant was a rare-bloomer, maybe as seldom as once per decade, but recent episodes have proved that wrong.

 The most interesting aspect of the plant is that it is truly a night bloomer. The buds may swell and look ready to part but it never happens until darkness descends.

 Here's the current chronology of this cycle ...

08/31/17 

 I first noticed the bud while the plant was summering on our back porch. Mom and I were on the way to the grocery.

09/03/17 

 Because of recent gusty storms, I brought the plant back inside to its usual spot on our south-facing enclosed porch. Carrying it carefully with that dangling bud wasn't easy and was fraught with danger. Mom once accidentally knocked off a bloom at about this point.

09/03/17 

 I noticed that a nearby leaf has four baby buds. I've never seen multiple blooms on this plant.

09/03/17 

 Here's a close-up of the bud. There's a little insect at about 3 o'clock. Mom removed it carefully.

09/05/17 

 The bud turns up a bit before it blooms. That's a good signal that blooming is imminent

09/06/17 

 Just a day ago I figured the time had arrived. I've set an alarm each night for either midnight or 1 am so I'd be sure not to miss it. I was getting tired of getting up in the middle of the night and checking.

09/07/17

 Early yesterday the bud looked mature and about ready to open. The colors are exquisite: rose, mauve and various shades of ivory. And yet the bloom, when fully open, will be a pure white.

09/07/17 

 I watched some TV and Mom went to bed. I checked the bud about 8 pm as the sun set. Nothing. It was still closed but looked like a balloon ready to burst. Then, at 9 pm as I readied to go to bed myself, I peaked through the dining room window and shined a flashlight on the plant one last time. It had opened in the past hour.

09/07/17

 It's really quite a sight as it begins to unfold. All the rose-colored bands which seem to bind it together, peel away and the blossom seems to explode with pent-up energy.

09/07/17

 Here's as close to a head-on shot as I could get. The flower is very delicate and can't be easily handled. In the distant past I remember these blooms to be quite fragrant but I've not noticed any scent recently.

 I'll keep an eye on the four developing buds and post pictures here. So check back.