15 Beautiful Flowers that Bloom at Night

Did you know some flowers exclusively bloom at night? Nature can be such a mystery. These flowers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. While some don’t bloom at night, they produce an enticing scent when the sun goes down. Follow along to learn about 15 beautiful flowers that bloom at night and fun facts about each.

1. Moonflowers

The first night-blooming flower on our list is likely the most known, the moonflower. Moonflowers go by many names including tropical white morning glories and moon vines. The scientific name for a moonflower is Ipomoea alba. It’s a member of the Convolvulaceae family.

Moonflowers have a wide range. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America, from Argentina to northern Mexico, Arizona, Florida, and the West Indies. Currently, the flowers grow in abundance and are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. They are a woody vine that reaches about 16 to 98 feet tall. The flowers are large and either white or pink. They also produce a sweet fragrant scent, most noticeable at night. Like their name suggests, moonflowers boom at night. They may also bloom on gloomy cloudy days.

2. Casa Blanca Lily

The next night-blooming flower on our list is definitely worth a mention. You can add this gorgeous flowering plant to your dream moon garden. The Casa Blanca lily is a gorgeous white and green plant with long stems. These fragrant flowers bloom from mid-summer to early fall. Although they don’t bloom entirely at night, they produce a strong and sweet scent that is most noticeable in the evenings. Some people consider this flower a perfumer’s dream. They are a popular cultivar, with origins in Japan. This beautiful flower grows well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8, although sometimes it thrives in zone 10.

3. Four O’Clock

Continuing our list of 15 beautiful flowers that bloom at night is the four o’clock, sometimes also called the marvel of Peru. These gorgeous flowers open from late afternoon or at dusk at about 4 to 8 pm. They close in the morning but produce a strong, sweet scent throughout the night. Four o’clock plants are native to Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, and Peru, but have been widely introduced to other parts of the world as an ornamental. They arrived in Europe in 1525. It’s best to grow these wonderful flowers in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 10.

4. Angel’s Trumpet

Another favorite night-blooming flower to make it on our list is the angel’s trumpet. These trumpet-shaped flowers droop and only bloom at night, emitting a sweet fragrance. Angel’s trumpets come in many different colors including yellow, white, orange, and pink. They are best grown in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 and thrive in full sun. Angel’s trumpets are massive plants. They can grow as a shrub or small tree, sometimes reaching as high as 35 feet and 10 feet wide.

5. Tuberose

The fifth flower on our list is the tuberose, a perennial plant in the family Asparagaceae. This wonderful plant produces large clusters of small white, delicate flowers that open at night and produce a very sweet, perfume-like scent. It’s native to Mexico but grows throughout the world. Although most cultivars and types of tuberosa flowers are white, they can also be red, orange, pink, or greenish. A popular cultivar often seen in gardens throughout the United States is ‘The Pearl’, which produces stunning double-flowers. These flowers, for their strong scent, are used in perfumery. They’ve been used in perfumery since at least the 17th century.

6. Chocolate Daisy

Did you know that the chocolate daisy also blooms at night? It’s known for its bright daisy-like flowers and delicious chocolate scent. Chocolate daisies are native to the southwest United States and Mexico. They bloom at twilight and remain open during the morning, emitting a strong scent of chocolate. They also have a long blooming period starting from spring until frost. Chocolate daisies are easy to grow. They are hardy and low-maintenance plants that can grow in poor to average soil. The soil though needs to be well-draining.

7. Queen of the Night

Another night-blooming flower is the queen of the night, also called the Dutchman’s pipe cactus or princess of the night. The scientific name for this gorgeous flower is Epiphyllum oxypetalum. Currently, this plant is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The flowers are massive, sometimes growing as long as 12 inches and as wide as 7 inches. This nocturnal flower if fertilized produces 5″ long, oblong, purple/red fruits. It grows best in USDA hardiness zones 10a to 12b.

8. Dragonfuit Cactus

Another excellent night-blooming flower is the dragonfruit cactus. The scientific name for this plant is Selenicereus undatus. This stunning plant produces white and green, scented nocturnal flowers. They appear during spring and summer. The flowers develop into edible, sweet, and delicious purple-red fruit. According to the North Carolina State University, this plant is native from Mexico to Honduras. It grows well in containers but may reach as tall as 20 feet. It’s also best to grow dragonfruit plants in USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b.

9. Night Blooming Jasmine

Possibly the most popular flower on our list is the night-blooming jasmine, sometimes also called the lady of the night. The scientific name of this plant is Cestrum nocturnum. Currently, it’s listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This beautiful flowering plant is easy to identify from its large clusters of small greenish-white flowers. They are generally less than an inch long, but the plants can reach as high as 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Night-blooming jasmines are low-maintenance plants. They need moist, but well-draining soil and can be grown in containers and the ground. The flowers bloom during summer and fall.

10. Night Phlox

The night phlox also blooms at night. It’s a flowering plant in the family Scrophulariaceae, native to Lesotho and South Africa. They are especially grown for their sweet almost vanilla and almond-like scent. However, the scent changes depending on the cultivar. You can buy them as seedlings or start seeds indoors as early as 4 to 6 weeks before the last expected frost. This low-growing plant produces small, star-like flowers. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones 9a to 10b. Night phlox flowers are sometimes called Night Candies.

11. Flowering Tobacco

Also on our list is the flowering tobacco plant, which goes by many names. It’s also called winged tobacco, jasmine tobacco, and sweet tobacco. The scientific name for this plant is Nicotiana sylvestris. The flowers differ in appearance depending on the cultivars and hybrids. They bloom from summer to fall, from late afternoon to evening. Flowers can be any color including white, red, pink, yellow, and lime green. The dramatic foliage is just one reason people love this plant. It also produces a sweet fragrance. These pendant-like flowers attract pollinators like hummingbirds and moths. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, flowering tobacco plants are only hardy to USDA hardiness zone 10.

12. Evening Primrose

Next is the evening primrose. Evening primrose flowers are a spectacular sight to see open in the evenings. This gorgeous plant is native to eastern and central North America. It thrives in the wild, but can also be grown in gardens as a showy ornamental. Evening primrose flowers go by many names. They are also referred to as evening stars, sundrops, hog weeds, and weedy evening primroses. The plant’s scientific name is Oenothera biennis. Evening primrose flowers are about 1 to 3 inches long and gold/yellow. They flower from spring to fall and open in the evening, attracting night-flying moths. The flowers close in the early morning.

13. Night Gladiolus

Next on our list of 15 beautiful flowers that bloom at night is the night gladiolus. Its scientific name is Gladiolus tristis. Although native to southern Africa, it’s grown as a decorative plant throughout the world and is an introduced species in coastal California. The flowers differ in color but are generally creme-yellow with hints of purple and red. It mainly blooms during spring, producing an intense sweet scent starting in the evening.

14. Easter Lily Cactus

Succulents also produce stunning night-blooming flowers. The Easter lily cactus develops bright and large pink and white flowers that open in the evening and close by midday. They also produce a light, perfumey scent. Easter lily cacti are native to native to Brazil and Argentina. The scientific name for an Easter lily cactus is Echinopsis oxygona, although it was previously known as Echinopsis multiplex. The best zones to grow these cacti outside are USDA zones 8a to 11b. Root rot is a common problem in Easter lily cactus plants. They rarely need water and are drought-tolerant, especially during the winter.

15. Evening Rain Lily

Another incredible flower that blooms at night is the evening rain lily. It’s sometimes also called the prairie lily. The scientific name for the evening rain lily is Zephyranthes drummondii. This fragrant and dainty flower is native to prairies and meadows of the western and south-central United States. Evening rain lily flowers bloom in the evening and remain open for a few days. As their name suggests, the flowers often grow and bloom after a rainy day. Evening rain lilies are popular garden flowers. They need full or partial sun, at least six hours a day, and thrive in USDA zones 7a to 10b.