One of the strangest plants of the desert, the Night-blooming Cereus is a member of the Cactus Family that resembles nothing more than a dead bush most of the year. It is rarely seen in the wild because of its inconspicuousness. But for one midsummer's night each year, its exquisitely scented flower opens as night falls, then closes forever with the first rays of the morning sun.
"I have found the best way to capture night blooming cactus flowers is to get up very early in the morning and photograph them with a flash just before sunrise, or wait a short time and use the first rays of the morning light." - Barry M. Goldwater