The Night Bloom

Photograph by Kristen McDermott

This night blooming cereus plant belonged to my mother. She got the cutting from her sister long ago. the plant itself is rangy and not much to look at. I'm not sure if it ever bloomed for my mother. My mother died in March of 2025, after a long slow disappearing due to dementia. My sisters and I were preparing for our mother's service in October of 2025. I had the good fortune of having the plant bloom once in August but then low and behold a second bud appeared. It bloomed the week before my mother's service. The blooms only last one night. They are amazing to watch as they slowly open over the course of a few hours. The intoxicating smell fills the air with a dreamy magical aroma. It felt as if our mother was sending us a message that she was now in a better place. We sat on the porch as we watched this magnificent bloom come into full flower. I took so many photos that evening, as if I was trying to capture the essence of my mother and how beautiful she was.