cereus obsession.....

[peeperita]

this is a night blooming cereus bud and i'm just a few short days away from the first blossoms of the year.....this particular plant will bloom two or three times.....each flush will have between 15 and 40 flowers lasting only one night....


last year, i asked for advice before the event in this thread..i was just learning to use my canon then..and i am eager to see what improvements i'll make over my 2007 attempt at capturing them........

i think one of the biggest improvements i'll make is to not be afraid to move the flowers where i want them cuz it's not very likely anyone will ever see them that night.....besides, if i snap one there's plenty more blooms to molest......last count has it at 12 buds....

does anyone else out there have one of these plants?....shots to share?

thanks

peeper

[windrider86]

I have never seen such a plant and thinks I may have to look into one. I like what you have done here, with the water drop and the background is ever so perfect.
I was looking at your slideshow and see a vast improvemnt in your composition and clarity.
well done my friend!

[dlaf]

Hey, Peeper, do you mean to tell me the entire bush of buds open all at once on one night? Then that's it til next year? Wow. Can't wait to see what you get this year since your previous shots are very nice. Are you considering time lapse?

Debbie

[peeperita]

Originally Posted by windrider86

I have never seen such a plant and thinks I may have to look into one. I like what you have done here, with the water drop and the background is ever so perfect.
I was looking at your slideshow and see a vast improvemnt in your composition and clarity.
well done my friend!

i can't wait until they open.....now, if i can only stay up that late.....they don't start opening until after dark and aren't fully sprung until 11 or so.....and this old girl likes her sleep.....

Originally Posted by dlaf

Hey, Peeper, do you mean to tell me the entire bush of buds open all at once on one night? Then that's it til next year? Wow. Can't wait to see what you get this year since your previous shots are very nice. Are you considering time lapse?

Debbie

i had this plant for ten years before i knew it bloomed......that one night is so easy to miss if you're not keeping tabs on it everyday.....when the buds start pointing up it's only a matter of a day or two.....they swell up from something the size of your thumb to as big as a butcher's hand in less than a week.....

i don't have the gear or the wherewithall to set up time lapse.....but, one day i will.....it would make a perfect subject for that.....

thanks

peeper

[Desert Rose]

Hi peeperita,

I have a night blooming cereus cactus. I had about 15 blooms earlier this year on my little cacti. The cactus flower seems to have a more ruffled petal. They are quite a challenge to photograph without washing out. You have some lovely photographs on your flickr.

~Desert Rose

[Shutterbugdeb]

Wow. What a flower. It's beautiful. My favorite picture you took was this one, Peeper. I actually marked it as one of my favorites 6 weeks ago. I think it's amazing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peeperi...7604307557011/

Beautiful photos. I can't wait to see what you do this year!

[peeperita]

Originally Posted by Desert Rose

Hi peeperita,

I have a night blooming cereus cactus. I had about 15 blooms earlier this year on my little cacti. The cactus flower seems to have a more ruffled petal. They are quite a challenge to photograph without washing out. You have some lovely photographs on your flickr.

~Desert Rose

thant's a truly beautiful blossom.....mine are going for it tonight,,,,,i just set my lights and talked my unwilling assistant into holding up a reflector for me....

hey, rose, would you be into trading a mature leaf of yours for a mature leaf of mine?

Originally Posted by Shutterbugdeb

Wow. What a flower. It's beautiful. My favorite picture you took was this one, Peeper. I actually marked it as one of my favorites 6 weeks ago. I think it's amazing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peeperi...7604307557011/

Beautiful photos. I can't wait to see what you do this year!

you thrill me.....thanks for making one of my shots your favorite.....i am certainly hoping to make this year's bloom even more photogenic....

wish me luck!

peeper

[KodiakStar]

Those look amazing, where abouts do you live? I may have to try to plant some.

I have morning glories and moonflowers. Love the moonflowers, but only getting 1-2 blossoms at a time so far. Major blooms should happen after I leave. They have a wonderful smell, but sadly are a "one night only" flower as well!

[peeperita]

Originally Posted by KodiakStar

Those look amazing, where abouts do you live? I may have to try to plant some.

I have morning glories and moonflowers. Love the moonflowers, but only getting 1-2 blossoms at a time so far. Major blooms should happen after I leave. They have a wonderful smell, but sadly are a "one night only" flower as well!

i love moon flowers and i plant them every year.....but, living in south mississippi there's such competition in the "jungle" and the moonflowers get overshaded by other, taller plants.....

you can grow a cereus where ever you live as they are potted plants coming in for the winter and out for the summer under the shade of the eaves.....

i got my shots last night, so i should be posting them soon.....

peeper

[renzdurano]

Very interesting photos..!