Queen of the Night

Night blooming cerius is a cactus that blooms only one night a year. Blossoms come out in the evening and fade away with the dawn. It is a major event at Tohono Chul Park. This blossom was illuminated by an ultraviolet light held by a bystander. 

Pictures of plants in the dark have special challenges because autofocus needs light. Supplementary light is necessary as is a tripod. Crowd control can also be a problem. This was a very lucky shot because I was ill-prepared.