Blooming Plants: 7 Night-Blooming Plants For Your Gardens

If you are someone who wants to create a beautiful garden filled with blooming plants but somehow can’t due busy work schedule or tiring heat. You can choose to grow night-blooming plants in your gardens. These gardens are commonly known as moon gardens as they consist of flowering or fragrant plants that bloom in the afternoon.

These night-blooming plants create a very majestic sight in moon gardens because of their mysterious glow; due to the reflection of the moonlight, these plants seem to glow as if the light is coming from within them. So let’s dive into the reality of these beautiful blooming plants and discover some varieties that you can grow.

What are Night-Blooming Plants?

Usually, when you ask someone to picture a beautiful view of flowers in a garden they think of a bright sunny garden filled with many plants. But apart from these usual gardens, there are many moon gardens filled with night-blooming plants in the world.

What makes night-blooming plants different is their unique ways of surviving in the coolness of the night whereas other plants rely on the heat of the sun to perform photosynthesis and attract pollinators during the day. Moreover, their unique ability to glow in the dark adds to the aesthetics of your gardens.

Another benefit of these night-blooming plants is their ability to conserve water. By opening their blooms at night they conserve water loss that happens due to evaporation in the daytime.

Some Tips for Planting Night-Blooming Plants:

To create an enchanting moon garden you need to provide the right environmental conditions in which your plants can thrive and produce beautiful blooms. Some tips for that include:

Choosing the right location:

For making a perfect moon garden you need to choose the right location for your plants. That perfect place would be the one where plants can receive partial to full moonlight and are also shielded against strong night winds.

Preparing Planting Bed:

Just like any other plant, night-blooming plants also thrive in well-draining soil. Moreover, incorporate the soil with manure or any other organic matter to increase its drainage capacity and structure. Furthermore, remember that different varieties have different soil requirements so conduct good research before selecting the plants.

Watering Needs:

Night-blooming loves some moisture but it is better to water them during the day so that the soil has the time to dry out before nightfall. This strategy helps in preventing many fungal diseases that can occur in damp conditions. You can opt for a drip irrigation system as it is ideal for these plants.

Using Fertilizers:

Use a balanced fertilizer mix with a slow release, especially for flowering plants. Moreover, search for the specific apply rates according to your plant species. Excessive fertilizers can burn the plant and at the same time, fewer nutrients may cause deficiency.

Protecting your plants:

Lastly, you want to protect your night-blooming plants from many pests and plant diseases. These plans are susceptible to many pests such as slugs and snails. To prevent these pests you need to inspect your plants regularly and manually remove these pests, other than that you can use natural repellents to protect your plants.

Famous Night-Blooming Plants:

Now, it’s time to explore some famous and beautiful night-blooming plants that you should grow in your moon gardens.

Night-Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum):

The tubular tiny flowers of these plants are famous for their sweet fragrance that can spread across 20 feet at night. These night-blooming plants are perfect for outdoor settings because of their simple yet beautiful blooms that catch the eye of everyone.

Moonflower (Ipomoea alba):

Moonflower also known as “The Queen of the Night” is the most popular night-blooming plant. These plants are known for their vines and beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers. The climbing veins and heart-shaped leaves of these flowering plants are perfect for any fence and or trellis. These aromatic plants are also famous for attracting many pollinators with their intoxicating scent.

Night Phlox (Zaluzianskya ovata):

Night phlox also known as Midnight Candy or Midnight Sweet is a low-growing perennial which produces a bunch of small star-shaped flowers. These aromatic flowers emit a sweet fragrance in the evening. Therefore, these blooming plants are known for their unique appearance and sweet aroma.

Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.):

As the name suggests these night-blooming plants feature trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom at night and spread sweet and captivating flowers, The large flowers of these plants come in a variety of colors and hang beautifully from the plant’s branch. However, you need to be careful with these plants as they are very toxic so protect your pets and children from them.

Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus):

These cacti are known for their beautiful white flowers that bloom only for one night a year. The large and beautiful white flowers open only for one night a year and release a captivating fragrance that attracts moths. Due to these unique characteristics, these plants become special among many enthusiasts as the single bloom increases the excitement for many plant lovers.

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis):

These night-blooming plants are known for their vibrant flowers that come in a bright yellow colour that opens up at night and stays the same till the morning. Moreover, these plants have many medicinal benefits which make them cherished by many enthusiasts.

Casablanca Lily (Lilium ‘Casa Blanca’):

These white-flowered hybrid lilies are famous for their attractive appearance and captivating fragrance. However, not all lilies are night-blooming plants, Casablanca Lilies open their blooms late in the afternoon and stay the same through the night till morning.

How to Care for Night-Blooming Plants?

Caring for night-blooming plants is just like that of other flowering plants. There are a few things that you should in mind such as –

• Avoid overwatering and water these plants in the morning so that the soil dries out by the afternoon.
• Use a base of organic mulch under your blooming plants as this helps the soil to retain moisture and regulate temperature. Moreover, it also prevents the growth of weeds.
• Deadhead any spent flowers to ensure continuous and new blooms. Also, prune your night-blooming plants during the dormant season. Remove every dead branch to prevent the risk of diseases.
• Other than these, you need to protect your plants from extreme weather such as cold drafts, frost, and strong winds, For this try covering your plants with a shed or a tent.

Conclusion

Night-blooming plants create a new perspective of gardening and open up options for many people to create their own beautiful moon gardens filled with amazing blooming plants. You can also decorate these gardens with fountains or many garden decorative items to create a fun place to hang out with your friends and family. Moon gardens also help you connect with nature and explore the night sky.