17 Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers with Strong Scent

Raul Cornelius is a Senior Editor at BalconyGardenWeb and an expert in flower and herb cultivation based in Phoenix, Arizona. A frequent speaker at horticultural events, he is also an active contributor to Facebook flower groups. Holding an MBA and a BCom, Raul blends his gardening skills with strong leadership and analytical abilities. Passionate about writing and photography, he enjoys early mornings with coffee and books, and nature bike rides during weekends.
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Discover the 17 best Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers you must include in your garden for a magical scent in the evening.

If you like your garden to get filled with heavenly scent after evening hours, then try growing these Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers!

Here are the best fragrant houseplants you can grow


Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers

Do note that some of the plants on this list continue to flower during the daytime, as well but their fragrance gets intense after the evening.

1. Moonflower

Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers

Botanical Name: Ipomoea alba

This vine can trail to an impressive length of 20-40 feet. It grows funnel-like white nocturnal flowers that become fragrant after dusk.

2. Large Flower Cactus

Botanical Name: Selenicereus grandiflorus

Also known as the queen of the night, the white flowers bloom rarely but reward with a rich, floral scent with a spicy soft undertone that gets really intense as night looms over.

3. Angel’s Trumpet

quinna94

Botanical Name: Brugmansia

Brugmansia is popular for the quirky shape of its flowers, which resembles a trumpet. The blooms exude a strong fragrance that picks up at night.

Check out some amazing bell shaped flowers here

4. Yellow Evening Primrose

123rf/mikolav

Botanical Name: Oenothera biennis

This tough perennial produces white or bright yellow blooms that open in the evening and exude a sweet scent. For best growth, grow it in plenty of sunlight.

Here are some of the best yellow flowers 

5. Tuberose

Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers 3

Botanical Name: Polianthes tuberosa

This distant relative of hyacinth grows a mass of white blossoms that emit a floral, sweet scent at night with notes of jasmine and honey, somewhat like Jasminum sambac.

6. Nicotiana

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Botanical Name: Nicotiana alata ‘Grandiflora’

Nicotiana shows off star-like blooms with a delightful freesia-like fragrance that tempts bumble bees. The blossoms come in pink, deep red, white, pale green, and purple shades and you can also grow it on your balcony.

7. Night-Blooming Jasmine

Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers 4

Botanical Name: Cestrum nocturnum

If you’re looking for the best night-blooming fragrant flower–this is the winner. This warm climate shrub has no matching. Grow it outside near the window of your home to enjoy the fragrance inside.

Have a look at the best types of jasmine flowers here

8. Four’O Clock

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Botanical Name: Mirabilis jalapa

It flowers in summer through fall and releases neither too strong nor mild perfume when it opens its colorful trumpet-like blooms after 4 pm–hence the name!

9. Desert Thorn Apple

Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers 5
reddit

Botanical Name: Datura meteloides

The beautiful white flowers release a honeysuckle-like sweet scent that becomes noticeable during the nighttime. The plant and its blooms are toxic, so keep it away from pets and children.

10. Night Phlox

woolmans

Botanical Name: Zaluzianskya ovata

Also popular as midnight candy, this low-growing perennial displays clusters of white-red flowers that release a pleasing fragrance, which has tones of almond, honey, and vanilla.

11. Gardenia

bretyo968

Botanical Name: Gardenia augusta

This tropical plant not only offers a glossy green display of foliage but also grows clusters of big white rose-like flowers that emit fragrance like no other, which takes an intense note after evening.

Learn how to grow Gardenia in pots here

12. Kahili Ginger

Botanical Name: Hedychium gardnerianum

These plants can grow upto an impressive height of 6-8 feet. The yellow flowers emit a strong scent in the summer evening, but the fragrance may not be of everyone’s liking.

13. Mexican Orange

Night Blooming Fragrant Flowers 8
deavita

Botanical Name: Choysia ternata

The plant’s flowers resemble a lot like jasmines but carry a different note. The heartwarming scent has a hint of citrus. It blooms almost year-round, and its fragrance intensifies at night.

14. Night-Scented Lily

Botanical Name: Lilium

If you want your garden to get full of mesmerizing fragrance during the months of August and September, then grow this flower in spring or fall.

Here are the best types of lilies you can grow 

15. White Evening Primrose

plantmama11

Botanical Name: Oenothera caespitosa

This US native grows clusters of white flowers that emit a soothing sweet scent that also attracts many nocturnal insects. It is really easy to maintain and is also drought tolerant.

16. Heliotrope

shutterstock/COULANGES

Botanical Name: Heliotropium peruvianum

This colorful flower blooms in shades of blue, white, purple, and violet. It offers a sweet fragrance that gets a little more intense as the night approaches.

17. Spider Lily

shutterstock/Diah1411

Botanical Name: Crinum

If you want an intense aroma in your garden after the evening, then try growing white flowering green leaved or perfumed spider lily. They both have an extremely strong scent in the nighttime.


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