It's fairly common in residential landscapes in our version of zone 9b (AZ desert). Takes several years before it blooms. The flowers only last for a few hours and open only one time. Our version is a native of Mexico. -Olin ----- Original Message ----- From: "c.l. avery" <clavery111@hotmail.com> To: <gardeners@globalgarden.com> Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 9:18 AM Subject: [gardeners] night blooming cereus > Dear George and list, > > I have just been given a night blooming cereus! My goodness, it is one > strange and ugly plant (I'm referring to it in the flowerless state). Looks > like it could be a plant on the moon. I've been told that it is a tropical > and so I don't dare leave it outside...except during our steamy DC > summers... and have had it inside since it was given to me last month. I > was also told that it will take a year, two or three for it to bloom, and > that the blossoms only last for one night. Any of this true? Can I plant > it outside like in George's memory of his boyhood home?