Queen of the Night

CELEBRATING THE ROARING TWENTIES IN A SPECIAL SERIES

You’ve heard of those flowers that bloom only at night? Here’s another varietal that comes out in the evening: a 1920s poppy fascinator to adorn the head of the femme fatale. Be careful she might have thorns to prick you …

Night flowers have such evocative names: Queen of the Night, moon flower, columbine, evening primrose and night flowering jasmine. Usually they are white or silver to catch the moonlight and attract night pollinators, drawing them with their exceedingly fragrant scent.

The most special is the Queen of the Night – there is no other flower so fragrant or rare as this one. It is in fact a variety of cacti flower that blooms once in a year if you are lucky – or only once in several years. Its Latin name is Cereus cactus, but for its rare and majestic presence it is commonly known as the ‘Queen of the Night’. It literally bleeds aroma from its beautiful white petals. Expect it to bloom on one special summer night.

The Queen of the Night herself