Original Night-blooming Cereus Illustration | Framed Watercolor & Ink Botanical Art by Gene Irvin (1934–2026) | Ready to Hang

Once a year — for just a few hours, in the middle of the night — the Night-blooming Cereus opens its extraordinary flowers. Large, fragrant, and impossibly beautiful, they bloom in darkness and are gone by morning. Arizona wildlife artist Gene Irvin knew this spectacle intimately: a substantial specimen of this remarkable cactus grew in his own front yard in Arizona, and in 2021 he captured its fleeting bloom in this original watercolor and ink — two soft peach and pink flowers with golden centers rising on tall, spiny green stems, a third bud just beginning to open, the whole composition alive with the quiet drama of a desert night.

This is not a print. This is the original, one-of-a-kind artwork — drawn and painted by hand, signed by the artist, and ready to hang. (A framed print version is also available in the shop.)

About the Night-blooming Cereus:
Known as the Queen of the Night or Desert Apple, the Night-blooming Cereus blooms just once a year, opening only after dark and lasting only a few hours. Its large, fragrant flowers attract bats as pollinators — one of the Sonoran Desert's most magical ecological relationships. The plant thrives in rain forests, deserts, and gardens across the Southwest.

Artwork Details:

• Medium: Original watercolor & ink illustration on paper (not a reproduction)
• Artwork Size: 8×10"
• Framed Size: 12.375×15.5" (double-matted and framed, ready to hang)
• Signed & Dated: 2021, inscribed “Night Blooming / Cirrus” in Gene's own hand
• Artist: Gene Irvin (1934–2026) — Arizona-based wildlife artist, Gene's Pen & Ink
• Style: Arizona desert botanical art | Sonoran Desert decor | Southwest nature illustration | Collector's original

Why Collectors Love It:
Whether you're an Arizona native, a cactus enthusiast, a botanical art lover, or someone who appreciates the quiet drama of the desert night, this original piece brings a rare and personal moment from Gene's own garden to your wall.

Shipping & Details:

• Ships carefully packaged to any address in the United States
• Part of the finite, irreplaceable collection of works by the late Gene Irvin (1934–2026)