Last night I was invited to a Night Blooming Cereus Party. The evening's event did not start until after 10:00 to make sure this gorgeous flower would begin blooming.
This night blooming plant only sends off a few blooms (after waiting seven years for the first bloom!) and it should not be missed. A friend of mine, Jude, called to say that last night would be the night. Everyone scurried with evening work. I had a ghost walk, there were other events on Ocracoke as well. I wore a white sundress to celebrate this occasion.
When Philip and I arrived, the plant was still just in bud. Everyone was disappointed, but sat out on the patio with a nice cold white wine and chatted until the midnight hour. As we began to leave, we noticed the three blooms were beginning to open. We stood literally watching as each petal opened up before our eyes. I took this photo in the wee hours. I understand that by daybreak, the bud would close never to be opened again. None of us stayed around that long, but what a wonderful event.
