13 Best Flowers That Bloom at Night Under the Moonlight
Your magical moon garden awaits! 🌕✨
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Enjoying nature's bounties under the sun is classically fun, but don't underestimate the beauty of a nighttime bloom! There are so many alluring flowers that thrive at night, their silvery-white hues and sweet fragrances filtering throughout moonlit gardens. If this picture seems hard to visualize, think of the recent solar eclipse, which cast the Earth and its blooms in an otherworldly dark glow. Rest assured, these flowers that bloom at night will turn your landscape into a captivating scene, creating a dreamy ambiance you'll want to enjoy each nightfall!
When planning your moon garden, mix it up with annuals, perennials, and shrubs to ensure you have a succession of summer flowers blooming throughout the entire growing season. Like any other garden, choose plants that are suited for your USDA Hardiness zone, then plant them where they receive the right kind of light. For example, full sun is considered six or more hours of direct sunlight per day, and most blooming plants need their minimum to perform well. And because pollinators such as moths are hard at work at night, too, you're also supporting beneficial bug populations.
The best part? Moon garden plants reflect the light of the moon or outdoor lighting. Add your own backyard lighting and it will only enhance the atmosphere, whether it's solar-powered lanterns or fairy lights draped over nearby shrubs or railing. It doesn't have to be overpowering, just a simple twinkly appearance to increase the allure of your garden at night. So go ahead, sit outside on your porch on a summer night, and surround yourself with these night-blooming flowers—it's magical!
For more gardening ideas:
Casa Blanca Lily
With their intense fragrance and big, beautiful blooms that grow on stems three to four feet tall and gleam white in the moonlight, you'll definitely want to be nearby whenever they open each night. The perennial bulbs will flower from mid to late summer and thrive in cooler regions. This lily prefers full sun but will also grow in part sun to part shade. It also thrives in moist soil that doesn't dry out and hardiness zones 4 to 9. Note: All lilies are toxic to cats and dogs.
Evening Primrose
Our favorite thing about these flowers is the blooms open quickly in the evening so you can sit outside and watch them come to life right before your eyes. Then, they'll stay open until around noon the next day. It's a biennial plant that will fill your garden with its pretty, lemon-scented yellow flowers from late spring to late summer. Plus, it attracts plenty of pollinators like bees and butterflies as well as nighttime pollinators such as moths and bats. Evening primrose benefits from lots of sunlight and well-draining soil in hardiness zones 4 to 9.
Tuberose
Tuberose is often used in perfumes, making it the perfect choice for those of you who want your night-blooming florals to have a strong, inviting fragrance. The tall clusters of white flowers on this perennial plant will open at night and shine under the moon from mid to late summer. They can grow two to three feet tall and each stem can bear a dozen or more blooms. Keep in mind that this one prefers warmer climates and an area with full sun. Note that tuberose is winter hardy to USDA Zone 7 with protection.
Moonflower
You’ll naturally want to include this tropical climbing vine, which is part of the morning glory family. It has large white flowers that bloom as the sun sets. They'll need a trellis to climb, and if you don’t want them to reseed freely in your garden, snip off the flower heads after they bloom. In hot climates, this vine is perennial and may be considered invasive, so it should only be grown in containers. Moonflower needs full sun and is winter hardy to USDA Zones 10 to 12.
Impatiens
If you have a shady backyard, white impatiens are an inexpensive, low-maintenance annual that offer non-stop blooms from spring to frost. Their gentle white "glow" is soothing and appealing when planted in large drifts around seating areas. Impatiens need mostly shade but will tolerate some mild morning sun. Some types of impatiens tolerate full sun, but read the label to be sure about what you're buying. This low-maintenance night bloom is suitable for zones 10 and 11, where they can be grown as perennials.
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum has teeny, delicate flowers and looks amazing tumbling out of window boxes, pots, and over stone walls. Its petite white flowers bloom profusely all summer until a freeze, and this annual has a sweet, honey scent that's delightful when planted near seating areas. Sweet alyssum needs full sun and moist but well-drained soil. This flower is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 as an annual and can be a perennial in zones 9 to 11.
Lamb's Ear
This old-fashioned perennial has touchable, fuzzy, silvery leaves that resemble a lamb's ear. It also has spikes of mid-summer flowers that pollinators love. Lamb's ear thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic soil and needs full sun but will tolerate some shade. This soft-to-the-touch plant flourishes within the hardiness zones of 4 to 9, demonstrating resilience to a wide range of temperatures.
Heuchera
This perennial, also called coral bells, is an outstanding plant for any style of garden. Although heuchera comes in every color of the rainbow, the varieties with silver leaves are iridescent in the evening light, and it's deer and rabbit-resistant. Plant in groups of three or more for best effect. Heuchera takes part to full sun, well-draining soil, and is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9.
Shasta Daisy
These sunny-faced flowers are a cheery addition to your garden in mid to late summer. Many new cultivars or cultivated varieties are available, including those with frilly or fringed petals. Plant these perennials in groups in full sun for best effect, though they can also adapt well to areas of partial sun and shade. Shasta daisies are sensitive to soggy soil and prefer well-drained soil. They can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9.
Angelonia
This annual, often called summer snapdragon, blooms all summer long until a frost. It comes in many colors, but the spikey white flowers offer vertical interest to mixed containers or serve as a focal point when planted in drifts. Angelonia needs full sun and damp soil. Summer snapdragon is grown as a perennial in USDA cold hardiness zones 9 to 11 and an annual in cooler climates.
Petunia
Good, old-fashioned petunias in shades of white are a reliable choice for season-long color and a light scent in your moon garden. Look for newer hybrids that don't require deadheading but keep on blooming. Petunias need full sun, are tender perennials in Zones 9 to 11, and are typically grown as annuals in all zones.
Dead Nettle
Although this perennial has a rather unflattering name, its silvery foliage is an attractive ground cover. Pink, white, or purple flowers appear in late spring. Dead nettle, also called lamium, prefers shade but will tolerate some sun, as well as well-drained, loamy, acidic soil. This hardy perennial grows in zones 4 to 10. After the first bloom, prune the plant back to promote fresh foliage cover.
Night-Blooming Jasmine
This shrubby vine has the most amazing night-blooming flowers with a strong fragrance. It's considered invasive in some parts of the country, so keep it in a large container and give it a trellis to climb. It's perennial in hot climates but can be wintered indoors in cold areas. Jasmine needs full sun, well-draining soil, and thrives in USDA zones 8 to 11.
Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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