Question about an unusual houseplant flowering once in twenty years

Nicecupoftea · ‎03-09-2010

My sister in law gave me all her houseplants when she felt she was unable to take care of them. One plant was about a foot high with narrow stem and bright green spear shaped leaves. We kept it in the sunroom and watered it when the soil became dry. Then suddenly one day a new stem grew out of the top and slowly white star shaped flowers opened up. The amazing thing was the perfume. It was like a very expensive french perfume. Our whole house smelled wonderful. The flowers very slowly died off and the perfume lingered on for a week or two. We moved house so it was not in the same place again but near a sunny window but to our disappointment never flowered again. I'd like to know the name of this plant and what would make it flower again.

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

A picture would help. Are the leaves thick or thin, are the flowers small in clusters or large singles? I could be an orchid. You could Google fragrant flowering house plants.

GrailSeeker · ‎12-01-2012

Maybe paper white narcissus? It would need a cold period before re=blooming.

GrailSeeker · ‎12-01-2012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_papyraceus

vabreeze · ‎03-09-2010

Could it be a cereus plant?

Better chance, it's a dracena (corn plant). I had one (over 25 years) that was passed on to officemates rather than trying to move it because it's quite large. It had bloomed twice prior to my retirement. The fragrance from the blooms were overpoweringly sweet!

The flowers of the Corn Plant are rare but smell amazing when in bloom

athenian · ‎03-18-2012

I agree it might be a night-blooming cereus. It's called the ""Queen of the Night"" and its rare and beautiful bloom is something to celebrate! I nursed one for years but was never lucky enough for it to bloom.

Meeras · ‎02-06-2014

strange thing for me.. whats the name of this plant.

Nicecupoftea · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/16/2015 vabreeze said:
Could it be a cereus plant?

Better chance, it's a dracena (corn plant). I had one (over 25 years) that was passed on to officemates rather than trying to move it because it's quite large. It had bloomed twice prior to my retirement. The fragrance from the blooms were overpoweringly sweet!

YES! That is definitely the one. Thank you so much.