Cestrum nocturnum
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| Cestrum nocturnum L. |
Cestrum nocturnum (Raat Ki Rani) is a species of Cestrum, native to Mexico, Central America, India and Cuba. 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.
Description
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.
Cultivation and uses
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.
Invasive potential
It has become widely naturalised in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, including Australia, southern China and the southernmost United States, and is difficult to eradicate. It is classed as a weed in some countries.[citation needed]
Gallery
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References
- Huxley, A., ed. (1990). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan.
- Germplasm Resources Information Network: Cestrum nocturnum
- Flora of China: Cestrum nocturnum in China
- Poisons Information Centre (Queensland): Cestrum nocturnum
- USDA Plants Profile: Cestrum nocturnum
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Cestrum nocturnum". Image Credit.
