BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - If ever there was a plant that refuses to over stay her welcome, it’s the Queen of the Night.

The peculiar plant has a long pink bough with alien-like tentacles sprouting from the stalk, gathering at the tip to form a bulbous blossom of white and pink petals.

This particular Queen, cared for by plant parents in Baton Rouge, features just one single blossom as she hangs from her long shoot, lonely and proud, on standby for her one night only solo performance.

The spectacular plant will bloom at night and wilt before dawn. Sometimes it takes years for a Queen to blossom. But once she does, she quickly bids farewell.

When she blooms, she bathes the yard in her sweet fragrance of magnolia and gardenia that is used in some perfumes.

According to Planet Natural Research Center , it can attract nocturnal moths and bats from as far away as 150 miles to pollinate the plant during it’s one-night performance.

When she dies, the smell is anything but royal.

This Baton Rouge Queen has been in this back yard for only a year when she took center stage at her coronation, opening to a full bloom of white petals.

She bloomed once in July of this year, and her second showing was a surprise. According to Southsideblooms.com , Queen of the Night lillies more than seven years old can bloom more often. A third set of jewels sprouted on her crown but fell off before the show.

Experts say the Night Queen is not difficult to grow, but that it needs special attention. With proper care, it can be a wonderful addition to your garden.

The Planet Natural Research Center says they prefer a humid microclimate, and can be satisfied with gentle misting or a tray placed nearby, while planted in well-drained soil in partial shade.

The night-bloomer can grow anywhere from 2 to 10 feet tall.

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