Hi Emma,

Night Blooming Cereus

Your plant is called a Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum). Here’s what it looks like in bloom and some care tips.

Water the Night-Blooming Cereus plant from early spring to August when the soil dries out, never allow the plant to sit in water.

Fertilize monthly with a balanced fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.    diluted to 1/2 its recommended strength from early spring to August.

Stop feeding in the fall and winter and allow the soil to dry out even more until the following growing season. Night Blooming Cereus do not like temperatures below 50°F (10°C).