As I get to know and grow a more varied range of plants these days, I have a pot of Keng Huay which I will never discard, no matter what. It is a plant which I have since kept with me after my paternal grandmother, whom I am very close to, passed away 8 years ago. How time flies… She was the one who brought me up whilst my parents were busy working their lives away to earn enough money for the family while I was young. I remembered my grandmother telling me she first got the cutting of this plant from a Chinese temple.
I have been rejuvenating the plant by propagating fresh leaf-cuttings periodically so that I do not lose it altogether. The plant seems to need to grow to a certain large size before it flowers, so don’t worry if your plant doesn’t flower. It is a rather maintanence-free plant that asks for some direct sunlight to grow and as a cactus, it doesn’t need to be watered all too often, but more frequently than the spined cactus though. For me, it only gets bothered by scale insects.
The many buds that were produced.
The Keng Hua, a name known by the Hokkiens here, is in fact, a cactus that is botanically known as Epiphyllum oxypetalum. It is considered as a ‘lucky plant’ here because whenever it flowers, the plant supposed to bring good luck and of course, strikes with the lottery!
What we see as “leaves” are actually the much flattened stems of the cactus. It doesn’t really have those fierce spines we see in other cacti. In Singapore, we can only see plants that bear flowers that are white and in both single and double flowered forms. This genus of cactus actually has more flower colours than white, but surprisingly, these do not fare well here. My friend Boon Kiat got and planted some cuttings of these but they just melted away.
This cactus is considered as a medicinal herb here. The useful part of this plant is the flowers. The flowers open near midnight and they fade once dawn arrives. After they fade, the flowers are picked and dried. When they are used, the flowers are actually used to treat several ailments like inflammations, phlegm, pharyngitis, etc (from PROSEA vol 12(3)). I do have neighbours who came knocking on my door before to ask to safe-keep the faded flowers before.
During my recent trip to HortPark (33, Hyderabad Road), I saw a very nice way of potting up this epiphyllum. In the medicinal plants plot, a pot of this epiphyllum was placed inside a wooden cart, as shown in the picture below. Very sweet, isn’t it?
You are truly blessed to have so many lovely blooms. This is a good start of a wonderful year ahead. I believe many of your achievements are coming into fruition even as your plants are yielding their harvest. Good things happen to those who knows that they are highly favoured.
Cheow Kheng,
Thanks to you for your prayers and God for His favour and blessings.
Wilson
My paternal grandma too had keng huay and I remember seeing it in bloom (at night) once in my lifetime. And yes, she picked 4 lucky numbers in front of the flower and yes, she struck lottery. Strange ain’t it?
She’s been gone for a very long time. Passed away in 1995. Like how your grandma took care of you, mine took care of me while my parents were away at work. She is greatly missed.
My grandma also had a thing for jasmin flowers and she used to keep pots of them at home. A pity I haven’t got anything left from that era.
Now that I’ve got my own home and I’m starting to decorate my place, I’m really keen to get a pot of keng huay and maybe some jasmin plants of my own.
Hi Cherry,
Thanks for sharing with me the memories the Kheng Huay has brought to you. I am indeed honoured to be able to meet someone who has experienced the same thing.
Hope the plant is doing well for you. Do take cuttings and replant the plant as a back-up.
For both the Keng Huay as well as the Jasmine to grow well, make sure you give them sufficient direct sunshine. They do also benefit from regular fertilisation.
All the best!
Wilson
Hi Wilson
Thank you for info on Keng Hua I have been in the UK for now 42years. I remember as a child we revered this flower to be the lucky one ,Last monday I had 1 bloom and 3 the next. Here in my conservatory the flower starts at 5pm onwards and is at its full glory by 12am.
I obtained a cutting from my local Chinese take out 2 years ago the composts is not rich it is only coconut husks this year I plunged this into a bigger pot,fed it the same as when I feed my Vandas.
I was delighted to see little buds forming and within a week and a half the buds bursting. The perfume is amazing.I was on my own at the last flowering and I was tempted to stay awake the experience is magical.
I will email you pictures if you let me have an email address
Regards Suchin
Beautiful photos.
Please let me know the Chinese name for this Epiphyllum oxypetalum flower. I have nine blossoms this year, beautiful ones. It is under yeung and cereus in U tube.
Just found your blog on a Google query, thought I would mention that the plant from your grandmother with the white flowers appears to be E. strictum, not E. oxypetalum.
Thanks for the photographs. They are lovely.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the ID! May I know what is the difference between E. oxypetalum and E. strictum?
Will make the necessary changes!
Wilson
Hello Wilson:
I found your pics while searching for keng hua info for my Daughter in law.
I was raised in S’pore and my Father would put the opening blooms in the fridge at night so that we could enjoy them briefly at breakfast in the morning.
As a child I was told a fantastic Chinese myth of the origins of these exquisite night blossoms.
Thanks for the photos.
Pamela
How fantastic to have so many flowers on one plant! I lived in Singapore as a boy, and remember that the Keng Hua flowering was a big event for the family.
We brought a plant back to the UK 50 years ago, which flowered occasionally for my parents (we don’t get much sun!). I have been the custodian of it for the last 20 years, and it’s never flowered – until now. It currently has two flower buds, about six inches long, so I’m hoping it will flower in the next couple of weeks.
Thank you for refreshing my memories!
Paul
Hi,
Any idea who or where near the west of Singapore would have this plant? A dear friend of mine is looking for the blooms to use as medication for herself (recommended by a chinese doctor) I would also greatly appreciate anyone who might know where to buy it. Please reply to my comment if you have any idea.
Refer to Cheryl Lee request about the Keng Huay, I do have a pot in our CG and nobody appreciate our CG’s nursery now, I can give her that pot if she still looking for 1.
Hi
I have one in pink colour but there is no fragrance. My white ones have started to flower this year. I missed the blossoming of the first flower. They are really lovely. Some people say that the flower represents ‘shortness’ as in “曇花一現”.