7 Indoor Moon Garden Plants That Bloom at Night
A moon garden has its glow-up in the darker part of the day, but the light of that famous celestial body. If you're a houseplant lover and a night owl, an indoor moon garden is the perfect project! Here are some of our favorite night-bloomers that you can grow in your in-home moon garden.

Contents
With their glowing, ethereal qualities, moon gardens are magical. If you’re not familiar with the concept, moon gardening is a wonderful way of creating an enchanted space in your garden. They are meant to be most beautiful after dark, under the light of everyone’s favorite satellite. Creating a moon garden indoors can be slightly challenging, but with a large window at your disposal, it’s possible to make it happen.
There are many ways to add to this type of space. Silver foliage can reflect light and shimmer in the moonlight. White blossoms are especially stunning as they glow against dark foliage. My favorite aspect of the moon garden is the flowers that open and release their fragrance after dark.
Flowers that bloom and are fragrant at night are exceptional additions to any space you will enjoy in the evening and beyond. Those with white blossoms pack a double punch in an indoor moon garden. These not only glow in the moonlight; they release their sweet perfume simultaneously, creating a delightful sensory experience. Here are some of our favorite flowers for your indoor moon garden.
Night Blooming Cereus

|
common name Night Blooming Cereus |
---|---|
|
botanical name Selenicereus grandiflorus and Hylocereus undatus |
|
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
|
height 3’-20’ |
|
hardiness zones 10-12 |
When it comes to looks, night-blooming cereus is not at the top of many lists. In fact, for most of the year it looks like your run-of-the-mill succulent that can’t stand up straight. I think it resembles a Christmas cactus, but I’ve heard more than one person disparage its appearance.
There are two separate plants that carry this moniker. They are similar in form and require similar care. One is a species of dragon fruit. Both of these succulents bloom in the evening, and typically only once a year until they are mature. At that time, they will begin to produce more blooms that can open on different days. They also emit a pleasing fragrance when they open.
Night Fragrant Orchid

|
common name Night Fragrant Orchid |
---|---|
|
botanical name Epidendrum nocturnum |
|
sun requirements Bright indirect light |
|
height 3’ |
|
hardiness zones 10-11 |
Night-blooming orchid is native to Florida, the West Indies, and parts of Central and South America. In its range, it is not scarce, but in Florida, it is on the endangered plant list. It is illegal to collect them from the wild here, but you can purchase them from a breeder.
This orchid can flower any time, but usually does so between late fall and early spring. The blooms open in the evening and release their pleasant fragrance. This is an attractive epiphyte in the genus Epidendrum. Epidendrums are typically easy to care for. They like plenty of light but not direct exposure. The flowers are small and green with a creamy white labellum.
Night Blooming Jasmine

|
common name Night Blooming Jasmine |
---|---|
|
botanical name Cestrum nocturnum |
|
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
|
height 8’-10’ |
|
hardiness zones 9-11 |
This jasmine is not a true jasmine, but it has similar habits and pretty white blossoms that have a wonderful scent. This evergreen will climb if you provide it with a trellis and give it some guidance. Outdoors, it makes a nice screen. You can use it for the purpose if you want to obscure a window from passersby.
This is a fast grower as long as it gets adequate light. It’s a huge bloomer during the summer when clusters of tiny blossoms open by the light of the moon. They release an incredible perfume when they open, and they close again in the morning. The resulting berries are poisonous to animals and humans, so remove them to be careful.
Night Phlox

|
common name Night Phlox |
---|---|
|
botanical name Zaluzianskya ovata |
|
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
|
height 8”-20” |
|
hardiness zones 8-11 |
This pretty evergreen perennial hails from South Africa and has a unique blooming habit. If you can offer it enough exposure, it makes a nice container plant for a bright window. You’ll want it near a window in the evening, which is this plant’s time to shine.
A small shrub, it grows to about 20 inches tall. During the dark hours, a mass of small, white flowers open up and release an intoxicating fragrance. The foliage is slightly sticky, another interesting characteristic. This is not related to true phloxes.
Queen of the Night

|
common name Queen of the Night |
---|---|
|
botanical name Epiphyllum oxypetalum |
|
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
|
height 8’-10’ |
|
hardiness zones 10-11 |
Also known as the orchid cactus, Epiphyllum oxypetalum is one beautiful queen for an indoor moon garden. She might remind you a bit of cereus, our first on the list. Even more than that one, I think this one resembles a Christmas cactus. The leaves are flat and succulent, like long paddles.
I have one of these lovely succulents in my bathroom, so they do fine indoors. It likes higher than average humidity. It’s easy to propagate, and takes well to pruning, so it’s a nice one to share. My own came from a lovely neighbor. Like cereus, the queen opens large, impressive flowers for only one evening. They are beautifully fragrant.
Gardenia

|
common name Gardenia |
---|---|
|
botanical name Gardenia jasminoides |
|
sun requirements Bright indirect light |
|
height 3’-4’ |
|
hardiness zones 8-12 |
It may surprise you to see gardenia show up on this list, but it certainly belongs here. This classic shrub does indeed bloom in the evening, which is also when the flowers release their intoxicating and notorious fragrance. It’s one of the most recognizable scents I can think of. The creamy, floral perfume of gardenias is a favorite among perfumers.
Gardenias are small to medium-sized shrubs with glossy foliage. With enough light, they do well indoors. They prefer a warm, humid space, but they are also tolerant of sub-freezing temperatures. They are quite sturdy. A nice aspect of gardenias is that their flowers don’t close back up in the morning. They remain open for several days and release the most fragrance around dusk.
Easter Lily Cactus

|
common name Easter Lily Cactus |
---|---|
|
botanical name Echinopsis oxygona |
|
sun requirements Full sun |
|
height 2”-3” |
|
hardiness zones 8-11 |
Easter lily cactus is native to South America, where it grows primarily in rocky areas and forests. If you’re familiar with the Echinopsis genus, this species has a similar form to its relatives. Short and rounded, Easter lily cactus has deep ribbing and short, black spines. Over time, it produces offsets and can be mat-forming if given the space.
This is a phenomenal bloomer with large, flamboyant flowers. It can bloom throughout the summer. One-foot-tall stems rise up from the body of the cactus and open wide at the ends. The flowers, which bloom in the dark, look similar to cereus. It can produce as many as one dozen white or pink flowers at a time.