Blooming for Just One Night After Years of Waiting... 'Queen of the Night' Cactus Video Released

Blooming After a Wait of One to Several Years
"Queen of the Night" Flowers Only at Night, Withering by Morning
National Institute of Forest Science Releases 14-Hour Time-Lapse Video

Although it may take as little as one year or as many as several years to bloom, the flower's appearance can be witnessed for just a single night. Footage capturing the rare moment when a cactus blooms at night and withers by the following morning has been released, drawing public attention.

Selenicereus corynephorus. National Institute of Forest Science

On June 2, the Korea National Arboretum under the Korea Forest Service released a time-lapse video documenting the blooming process of night-blooming cacti, which are difficult for the general public to observe, through its official social media channels.

The video features the blooming process of 'Selenicereus grandiflorus,' known as the "Queen of the Night," and 'Selenicereus coniflorus.'

These cacti emit a strong vanilla fragrance and bloom fully at night, but quickly wither once the sun rises, making it difficult for ordinary visitors to witness the blooming in person. They are considered especially mysterious plants, as blooming can require as little as one year or as long as several years of waiting.

Since these plants do not yet have official Korean names, they are referred to by their scientific names, which are also rich in meaning. "Selenicereus" combines "Selene," the moon goddess from Greek mythology, with the Latin word "Cereus," meaning candle, to convey the idea of "cacti that bloom like candlelight under the moonlight."

"Grandiflorus" means "large flower," as the name suggests, and produces enormous blossoms, while "coniflorus" means "cone-shaped flower," characterized by flower buds and structures that distinctly resemble cones. While the two species share similar ecological traits, their flowers differ in shape.

The Korea National Arboretum filmed the blooming process continuously for about 14 hours, from 6 p.m. on May 22 to 8 a.m. the following day. The footage can be viewed through the arboretum’s official social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Bae Jungyu, Director of Exhibition, Education, and Research at the Korea National Arboretum, said, "This shoot is significant in that it documented the night-blooming aspect, which cannot be seen during regular visiting hours," adding, "We will continue to introduce the ecological value and fascinating stories of plants through a variety of content in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.