Cestrum nocturnum

[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

Raat ki rani, during daytime and during night-time in bloom.

akbhatt

--
Anand Kumar Bhatt
A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Bhind Road
Gwalior. 474 005.

[J.M. Garg]

Some extracts from Wikipedia link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum_nocturnum

Cestrum nocturnum (Raat Ki Rani) is a species of Cestrum, native to Mexico, Central America, India and Cuba^{[citation needed]}. Common names include Night-blooming Cestrum, Lady of the Night, Queen of the Night, Night-blooming jessamine, and Night-blooming Jasmine. Also known as Raat ki Rani (Queen of the night), in Urdu and Hindi.

It is an evergreen woody shrub growing to 4 metres (13 ft) tall. The leaves are simple, narrow lanceolate, 6-20 cm (2-8 in) long and 2-4.5 cm broad, smooth and glossy, with an entire margin. The flowers are greenish-white, with a slender tubular corolla 2-2.5 cm (1 in) long with five acute lobes, 10-13 mm diameter when open at night; they are produced in cymose inflorescences, and are strongly scented. The scent is released at night. The fruit is a poisonous white berry. There is also a variety with yellowish flowers.

Cestrum nocturnum also known as Night Blooming Jasmine, is grown in subtropical regions as an ornamental plant for its strongly-scented flowers. It grows best in average to moist soil that is light and sandy, with a neutral pH of 6.6 to 7.5, and is hardy to hardiness zone 8. Feed bi-weekly with a weak dilution of seaweed and fish emulsion fertilizer.

All parts of the plant are highly poisonous.

--
With regards,
J.M.Garg
"We often ignore the beauty around us"
Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1
For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en

[Pankaj Oudhia]

Cestrum in my home garden.

http://stri.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Cestrum+nocturnum


Pankaj Oudhia

[sibda...@gmail.com]

In Bengali it is known as Hasnu Hana. Its strong odour may cause
headache. It is believed the scent attracts snakes- but I have nor
witnessed. Do the flowers bloom at night or they give out scent only
at night time ?

On Sep 27, 7:05 pm, "J.M. Garg" <jmga...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Some extracts from Wikipedia link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum_nocturnum
>

> *Cestrum nocturnum* (Raat Ki Rani) is a species of
> *Cestrum<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum>
> *, native to Mexico <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico>, Central
> America<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_America>,
> India <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India> and
> Cuba<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba>
> [*citation needed <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed>*].
> Common names include *Night-blooming Cestrum*, *Lady of the Night*, *Queen
> of the Night*, *Night-blooming jessamine*, and *Night-blooming Jasmine*.
> Also known as *Raat ki Rani* (Queen of the night), in
> Urdu<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urdu>and
> Hindi <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi>.
>
> It is an evergreen <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen> woody
> shrub<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrub>growing to 4 metres (13 ft)
> tall. The
> leaves <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf> are simple, narrow lanceolate,

> 6-20 cm (2-8 in) long and 2-4.5 cm broad, smooth and glossy, with an entire

> margin. The flowers <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower> are

> greenish-white, with a slender tubular

> corolla<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corolla_(flower)>2-2.5 cm (1 in)

> long with five acute lobes, 10-13 mm diameter when open at

> night; they are produced in cymose <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyme>
> inflorescences <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence>, and are

> strongly scented. The scent is released at night. The

> fruit<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit>is a poisonous white
> berry <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry>. There is also a variety with
> yellowish flowers.
>
> *Cestrum nocturnum* also known as Night Blooming Jasmine, is grown in

> subtropical regions as an ornamental

> plant<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornamental_plant>for its

> strongly-scented flowers. It grows best in average to moist soil
> that is light and sandy, with a neutral pH of 6.6 to 7.5, and is hardy
> to hardiness

> zone <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone> 8. Feed bi-weekly with a

> weak dilution of seaweed and fish emulsion fertilizer.
>

> All parts of the plant are highly poisonous<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison>
> .

[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

Yes Sibdasji! It blooms and give fragrance only during night. In the three photographs that I have attached, first is of daytime, which is buds, and the other two are of night when the flowers have bloomed.

Best wishes,

akbhatt