Saturday afternoon was filled with anticipation. At noon when Chris carefully checked the buds, they were soft, signaling that they were ready to go!
The evening that followed was a celebration fit for desert royalty. As the glowing sunset faded into the night sky, the air was filled once again with native flute music and a cheerful murmur. Curiosity, excitement, and a wistful peace permeated Tohono Chul.
From the Pavillion, Garden’s Manager Jack Dash gave a presentation where he shared his extensive knowledge of the Queen of the Night. With fresh insight, visitors then ventured out to see the Queen for themselves.
The soft glow of lights decorated the park and lit the pathways through the dark labyrinth of Desert View Trail. Our dedicated docents guided visitors as they marveled at the elegant white blossoms.
Observant guests were greeted by kangaroo rats, desert millipedes, and nighthawks. Some adventurers searched for scorpions with a UV light. We were excited to welcome an enthusiastic film student from the University of Arizona who came out to film eventgoers experiencing the blossoms for a documentary. The trail was bustling with people eager to see this cryptic desert plant come alive.
Not only was the desert open for viewing for members, but Bloom Night coincided with “Chillin’ at the Chul’, with refreshments and music creating a fun community space. At the Overlook, the Queen’s Court was also in full bloom for the public to enjoy.
My hope is that we will remember a feeling—that the desert is special and holds one-of-a-kind living beings like the Queen of the Night.
Check out these stunning photos of the Queen from Bloom Night!
Bloom Watch is written by Tracey Till, Propagation Coordinator
Last Friday morning as Chris Kibler, Senior Gardener here at Tohono Chul, made his rounds on the Desert View Trail, he noticed that the buds on the Queens were still small and tightly closed; but a lot can change in a few days. Bloom Night is approaching much faster than we originally predicted!
The summer solstice began blanketed in a dusty haze. A nebulous veil covered the mountains and a strong wind swept the city. Sand was carried over hundreds of miles high in the sky across the Southwest from New Mexico; a cloud of seeds.
By Friday afternoon, the weather was shifting. The dry heat, a trademark of June in Tucson, began to moisten. Clouds were forming to the east which soon spread over the horizon. “We’re crossing our fingers that we get some rain,” said Chris. That very next afternoon, the familiar, earthy smell of petrichor filled the air. Puffy cumulonimbus clouds formed over the Catalinas. The sky opened up and delivered the first Monsoon of the season, quenching the desert’s thirst and feeding the Queens.
I’m sure you have noticed the increased humidity this week. Doors are swelling. You can cut the air with a knife. This consistent humidity has done wonders for plant life throughout the garden and surrounding desert. It’s almost as if you can see things growing in real time.
The Queens have experienced rapid growth since Saturday’s storm, doubling in size over the course of the week.
Buds are turning color with bits of deep maroon peeking through, hinting at the petals growing just beneath.
Due to this rapid growth spurt, we anticipate Bloom Night to occur sooner than expected. That’s right — the Queen is coming! We predict that the buds will grace us with a royal show either late this week or early next week. Last year, they chose July 23rd as their day. Which day will our resident monarchs choose this year? Will it be this weekend? Maybe. All we can do in the meantime is measure, observe, and wait.
The Queen’s Court
Meanwhile, at the Overlook, Chris discovered that our Peniocereus collection, known as the Queen’s Court, has sprouted 79 buds!
The Queen’s Court (located at the Overlook on the southern side of the gardens) displays our diverse Peniocereus collection.
The Queen’s Court collection is a great example of the remarkable diversity found within the Peniocereus genus. These unique plants are native to the Southwest US and Mexico, flourishing in varied and distinctive habitats; from the creosote flats and gravelly slopes of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts to the dry tropical forests of Western and Southern Mexico. For example, Peniocereus serpentinus can be commonly found growing in the understory of mesquite woodlands. At the same time, the Peniocereus marianus has been spotted sprouting from a sheer basalt cliff on the Sinaloan coast.
Details of buds from the Queen’s Court (left to right): Peniocereus cuixmalensis, Peniocereus oaxacensis, Peniocereus maculatus
Buds in the Queen’s Court have begun to bloom sporadically, much to the delight of local pollinators. Bats, birds, and insects, especially certain moths, eagerly await their late-night snack. Since the Queen of the Night blooms only once a year, pollination is critical to its survival.
Pollination is the reproductive process of plants where pollen is transferred from one flower to another, enabling seed and fruit production and ensuring the next generation of plants. The Peniocereus greggii relies primarily on nocturnal pollinators, particularly sphinx moths (Sphingidae), for this essential process.
The white-lined sphinx moth is an important pollinator for the Peniocereus.
The Queen of the Night’s flowering behavior, scent, and structure are finely tuned to attract nocturnal pollinators. Its large, bright, tubular flowers are typical of plants pollinated by moths. The narrow shape facilitates easy access, allowing them to hover and reach deep into the flower with their proboscis, a straw-like mouthpart used for feeding.
Soon, the desert will be alive with the fluttering of moths and the sweet scent of blooming Queens.
Bloom Watch is written by Tracey Till, Propagation Coordinator
The Queen is Coming…
Due to rapid growth from recent rain and increased humidity, we predict Bloom Night to occur sometime within the next 7 days, potentially as soon as this weekend.
This year, Bloom Night is an exclusive members-only event. Your support helps preserve the Desert View Trail and our Peniocereus greggii collection while we work to ensure proper pollination of these special plants.
Don’t miss out—become a member today and unlock a year of perks and benefits at Tohono Chul, including early access to plant sales, discounts, free daily admission, reciprocal admissions at other public gardens, and much more.
Predictions and estimates for Bloom Night are subject to change based on various factors such as weather conditions, growth patterns, and environmental influences.
Tohono Chul Gardeners Chris Kibler and Shauna Smith, along with dedicated volunteer Tammy, have been diligently watching over the Queens and measuring their progress.
Shauna and Chris recorded measurements of the growth of the buds for our records. “Most are at 40 mm, with a few near 60mm. With the onset of this heat they’ve slowed down.” said Chris, Senior Gardener at Tohono Chul. According to the Gardeners, Bloom Night could be anywhere between 2-4 weeks out. But as we all know, Mother Nature works on her own timeline.
Stems grow from the tips. Concentrated spines and fuzz help protect the area where cell division is occurring on a Peniocereus greggii, the night-blooming cereus.
I ventured out to the Desert View Trail early Tuesday morning to see the Queens for myself and hear what the trail has to say…
Larrea sparkle in the morning sun, as if covered in dew. Seeds waiting for the winds of change, the monsoon. A gossamer seed released like a puff of smoke, floats by. Spiderwebs glisten between branches, the invisible is visible. Every tree is a tree house for the beetles and bees. You can see the small oval holes like windows. A wasp, brown and red, hovers over a Queen of the Night. Flowerbuds! They decorate the plant like little black and white flames. Star-shaped spines cling to the trunk of their nursery tree, an acacia. Amongst the wild trees and grass the soil is covered in white and orange stones. Gneiss stones freckled with garnets slowly worn away into sand by streams of rainwater and wind. Many small footprints appear in the dusty, well-worn path. Hoof, paw, and claw. An occasional sneaker print from a Tucsonan.
My walk makes me wonder, what is this gravelly soil made of anyway? Why does the Peniocereus greggii grow here and not everywhere?
Heading back to civilization and leaving the peaceful morning vista, I’m sitting at my desk. I decided to let my curiosity stray from the winding paths of the Desert View Trail and onto the winding paths of a Google search. I came upon the Web Soil Survey website (provided by the USDA) and looked up the Desert View Trail’s location on their interactive soil map. Now, soil science is a foreign language to me, so I must read slowly to understand… “Alluvium derived from schist and/or alluvium derived from gneiss… along with other granitic and some volcanic and sedimentary rock”.
Screenshot from the Web Soil Survey website.
Okay, let’s break this down!
Alluvium is made of sand, gravel, silt, and clay deposited by flowing water. According to their website, The Desert View Trail and much of the surrounding area were likely formed during the Ice Age when mountain glaciers melted and produced lakes and rivers that deposited these sediments. Over time, calcium carbonate was also formed as slightly acidic rainwater trickled through the layers. The expanse of time; the natural forces of water, wind, and sun that shaped the landscape is awe-inspiring!
It seems the Queen of the Night is well adapted to the sandy, silty, gravelly soil. Perhaps adequate moisture and drainage are all that is necessary to allow the large tuberous root to grow and to prevent rotting.
Earlier, botanist and Tohono Chul Gardens Manager, Jack Dash, brought up the question to me of whether the baby Queens we are growing in the nursery could benefit from symbiotic microbes native to the desert soil.
Perhaps more is going on than can be easily seen. What else could be going on beneath the surface? Soil is not only a collection of tiny non-living rocks but a thriving and bustling community and ecosystem. It’s filled with active plant roots, algae, fungus, bacteria, and small invertebrates.
This graphic depicts the intricate web of microbial interactions within a soil ecosystem. Vibrant colors and organic shapes represent the diverse array of bacteria fungi and other microorganisms.
Many people know about the miraculous mycorrhizal (fungi that have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of many plants) that colonize tree roots and enable them to absorb more nutrients from the soil. It turns out that cactus also facilitate partnerships with fungi friends! According to the book Cactus Biology and Uses, root samples of different Sonoran cactus species were anywhere from 10% to 70% colonized by mycorrhizal fungi.
However, I have yet to dig up an article specific to Peniocereus greggii mycorrhizae. What might be happening beneath the soil of our Queens? For now, it remains a mystery to me.
The Queen knows where to grow. The Queen knows when to bloom. When she is ready.
Bloom Watch is written by Tracey Till, Propagation Coordinator
We are estimating about 2 to 4 weeks away from the big night! Stay tuned for updates.
This year, Bloom Night is an exclusive members-only event.Your support helps preserve the Desert View Trail and our Peniocereus greggii collection while we work to ensure proper pollination of these special plants.
Don’t miss out—become a member today and unlock a year of perks and benefits at Tohono Chul, including early access to plant sales, discounts, free daily admission, reciprocal admissions at other public gardens, and much more.
Predictions and estimates for Bloom Night are subject to change based on various factors such as weather conditions, growth patterns, and environmental influences.
The season is turning on the Desert View Trail. Early spring wildflowers have dried and are dropping their seeds, feeding the quail, and becoming part of the seed bank. As they bloom, cacti, shrubs and trees utilize water reserves, and stretch to deep underground rivers to quench their thirst.
Acacias along the wash are covered in little pom-poms that winged creatures visit for nectar and pollen. Saguaros open their buds to the sky and beckon hungry visitors. Leafcutter ants gather fallen yellow blossoms. Green pears grow on the Opuntia. Cactus wrens are busy nesting. There is a ripe crunch underfoot as you walk on the dry earth. Dry fore-summer is here!
What will this season bring for the Queen of the Night, Peniocereus greggii? Several plants that had seemingly disappeared below the surface have reappeared after the long late winter and early spring rains.
The fuzzy white branch tips and buds are the telltale signs of new growth beginning. The Queen is waking up.
Stems grow from the tips. Concentrated spines and fuzz help protect the area where cell division is occurring on a Peniocereus greggii, the night-blooming cereus.
They began to show buds after a spontaneous drizzle that occurred in May. “I think the little bit of humidity is making them push,” said Chris Kibler, Senior Gardener here at Tohono Chul.
They have changed a lot in the last 2 weeks. There is variation in bud size with most between 10mm and 20 mm. They won’t be blooming any time soon.
Rain, surprise. Snowy fruit. Bathing in the scent. Beetles hide in prickly pear blossoms, Goldfinch gather chia seeds. Quails hurry, lizards lounge. The Queen stretches; her white hair begins to grow.
Bloom Watch is written by Tracey Till, Propagation Coordinator
We are estimating about 3 to 6 weeks away from the big night! Stay tuned for weekly updates.
