THE QUEEN IS HERE
SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2023
6PM – 10PM
$5 Admission | Free for Members
Presentation
Garden Pavilion | 6-10 pm
Learn about the unique characteristics of the Peniocereus greggii.
Queen of the Night Exhibit
Exhibit House | 6-10 pm
An exhibition in the Entry Gallery presents the Queen of the Night in all her glory, which includes objects from Tohono Chul’s Permanent Collection and artwork from local artists.
Musical Performances
Listen to the enchanting sounds of Celia Jose (7 – 9 PM) on the flute, as well as a special appearance from the Desert Music Project (8:30 – 9 PM) in the Performance Garden.
Book Signing
Queen of the Night book signing by local author Elaine A. Powers.
Drinks & Food
Light bites and beverages will be available for purchase from the Garden Bistro.
-Hotdogs
-Chips (variety available)
-Italian ice (lemon & orange)
-Booze pops
-Ice cream bars (orange dream, mango, and chocolate eclaire)
Bloom Night Trail Map
Join Us the Morning After
6:00 – 7:00 AM | $5 General Public | Free for Members
– after 7 am, regular admission rates apply –
Join us the morning after Bloom Night for a special opportunity to immerse yourself in the fleeting beauty of the blooms as the sun rises. Our gates will be open at 6:00 am, allowing you to savor the Queen’s final moments.
Learn More
It has a hallowed place in Tohono O’odham storytelling and has inspired folk songs, paintings, thousands of photographs, and even perfume. The Night Blooming Cereus or Peniocereus greggii, aptly nicknamed “The Queen of the Night,” creates an elusive flower, blooming en masse on select summer nights. Opening slowly at dusk, each beautiful, palm-sized flower wilts within a few hours of sunrise…
Since this particular species of cereus cannot self-pollinate, the plants must bloom on the same evening to ensure pollination, usually by hawk moths. The more blooms that are open the greater the chances of pollination. The true mystery of the Night Blooming Cereus is how the majority know when to bloom.
At Tohono Chul, we‘ve been studying this cereus for over 20 years and are still uncertain what exactly triggers the bloom. Our best scientific guess is there is some form of chemical signaling among the cacti that initiates it. Native to Southwestern North America, the Night Blooming Cereus looks like a bunch of dead sticks most of the year, only revealing its spectacular flower in the heat of the early Tucson summer. Tohono Chul planted and cultivated many of the cacti; others grew naturally on the grounds creating our world-class collection. Tohono Chul has the largest private collection of Peniocereus greggii in the world.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
The Town of Oro Valley • Long Realty Cares Foundation • Old Pueblo Group at Morgan Stanley • Tucson Electric Power • Agape Hospice • Catalina Springs Memory Care • Casino Del Sol • Chase Bank • Davis Pediatric Dentistry • Home Care Assistance • Hughes Federal Credit Union • La Posada at Pusch Ridge • Santa Rita Landscaping • SPENGA • Splendido at Rancho Vistoso
