Unique flower blooms at night

Ruby Lucas’ patience paid off.
After waiting for 10 years, Lucas witnessed an explosion of color and aroma as her Queen of the Night plant finally bloomed.
It was the first time the flowers bloomed from their buds in the 10-plus years Lucas has cared for the cactus-family plant.
“This is wonderful,” she told a late-night visitor as the buds opened to show the white petals.
The plant — known more specifically as a night-blooming cereus — comes from the cactus family, although it has no needles, Lucas said. It’s found predominantly in warmer regions, particularly the West Indies.
Lucas noted buds began to form in recent days, extending into a velvety ball, growing both in thickness and in length.
She knew Tuesday afternoon a full bloom was imminent.
And short-lived.
The petals begin to wilt at the first hint of sunlight.
“And like that, they’re gone,” Lucas said.
Her Queen of the Night plant is only one of several species of flowers and plants that adorn Lucas’ yard just south of Iola on State Street.
Most of the beauty is concealed from passersby, thanks to a thick line of trees and shrubs that line her yard. (A quick glimpse can be seen as motorists cross Elm Creek to the south, on the west side of the road.
“I used to get plenty of people stopping by to look,” Lucas said.
They’re still welcome to do so. Either she or her daughter, Pam, usually are around tending the immaculate array of plants and flowers.
Lucas estimates she spends about three hours a day watering her plants and flowers. Her daughter handles the mowing, weeding and other chores.
Her green thumb is hereditary.
“My mother won yard-of-month-awards every year in Burlington,” she said modestly. “I’m not nearly as good as she was.”
Lucas worked at the old Iola Greenhouse and then at Tri-Valley Developmental Services before retiring.
Her love of gardening remains as strong as ever. She’s most at home among her flowers.
“I hope this is what Heaven is like,” she said, “with everything but the grasshoppers.”