Night Blooming Moonflower

Moonflower~Courtesy of Wiki Commons

I remember the first time I saw this flower.  My elderly neighbor called me to come over and see something in her backyard.  She didn’t say what and usually she only called us if she and her husband needed some  help, so I went next door, fully expecting to be in the backyard with the flashlight, moving or looking for something.   She said that she had planted this particular plant several years ago because she like to sit in her backyard in the evening and enjoy her garden.  Unfortunately, most plants and flowers “go to sleep” at night so it makes for pretty uneventful flower gazing.  She said this flower only bloomed at night and she wanted me to see it since it only bloomed for so long in a season.   Good neighbor that I was, I screwed my face up with a look of excitement, trying to hide the “let’s humor the old lady” look.

  We went out to her backyard and against her fence were the most beautiful, ghostly white flowers I had ever seen.  They were just starting to unfurl their petals and you could almost see them bloom.  Their scent was just as delicious as their beauty.  Since I decided that I would be writing posts on the moonstone crystal and the Moon for the Tarot cards, I thought I would continue the moon theme.  Since I am a “moon” sign and I think, even in my own mind, that I am a goddess, this would be a great aromatherapy post to include in this series.  Little did I realize that there is not much written on it from an aromatherapy standpoint.  What I did find is interesting even though I could not find much on the practical uses of aromatherapy with this flower.

    This exotic plant loves and thrives in the moonlight and has a wonderful, sultry scent.  It’s scientific name is the Ipomoea Maxima orIpomoea Alba and it is a tropical plant from Central and South America.  It is kissing cousin to the Morning Glory and starts to open its blooms at dusk.  The whole process can take up to twenty minutes but the bonus is that you can actually watch the process of the flowers  unfold their petals.  Their scent is similar to Magnolia’s but heavier and muskier.  These great flowers are prolific growers and can reach about forty feet in height so you want to make sure that you have something sturdy for them to grow on like a fence or trellis.

Moonflower Drawing

The Moonflower enjoys hot weather and has think, dark green, heart-shaped leaves.  Each Moonflower seems to shimmer or glow in the dark, so much so that it attracts the “nighttime pollinators” such as Luna Moths and other insects.  The pollination efforts of the night insects help this plant continue to bloom and come back year after year.

    This exotic bloom comes with some warnings as well, so pay heed to this information.  The Moonflower is a fertile plant and should be planted away from other plants.  It will overtake and smother any plants or flowers within reach.   Unless you are a licensed aromatherapist or homeopathic practitioner, do NOT try to create your own medicinal treatments with the Moonflower.  All parts of the flower are considered TOXIC or POISONOUS if ingested.  You should consider where you are planting the Moonflower in regards to children and pets.  You do not want to accidentally kill your child or “Fido”, the beloved family pet. 

    Now, during my research for this particular plant, I did find some benefits for using is it in aromatherapy or homeopathic treatment  under Ayurveda aromatherapy.  Ayurveda is a traditional medicine native to the subcontinent of India, the name its self means ”Science of Life” .  Use of the Moonflower in aromatherapy is primarily through lotions and scent treatment.   It is considered an aphrodisiac and a soothing scent which promotes deep sleep. 

    The Moonflower acts as a diuretic, increases the production of milk (not in cows, but breastfeeding women), moderates heavy menstrual flow, and generally assists with the symptoms of PMS.  It also aids in the treatment of an enlarged liver and spleen, acts as an agent that thins mucous production, aids in poor digestion as well as somewhat helping with the symptoms of Tuberculosis.  The Moonflower is also considered a good aromatherapy to help rejuvenate a tired body.  Remember, I did say that all parts of the plant are toxic and potentially poisonous, so DON’T try any at home remedies with the fresh flowers.

Moonflower Seeds

The Moonflower tends to be a common name for a lot of night blooming flowers such as night blooming jasmine.   A lot of companies that sell seeds that produce night blooming flowers are commonly called Moonflowers.  So it can refer to a generic type of night blooming plant.  Another cause for concern is that a growing trend with kids and those that like to live on the edge, is the ingestion of the seeds in order to get high and experience the hallucinogenic properties.  

   While this is a wonderful nighttime flower with a great scent, err on the side of safety and utilize your nostrils to enjoy the calming affects of this plant and visualize your way to health.  By the way, did I tell you (shameless Greek plug here), that the Greeks were the first to introduce the use of essential oils as a perfume for personal use and not just for religious rites?  The next aromatherapy insight will be about spicy Cinnamon.