History
Moonflowers had an application in ancient times, in Mesoamerican (of Mexico and Central America) culture. Moonflowers were used to transform latex that was derived from both the guayule plant and Castilla elastica trees in order to make rubber balls that could bounce. Moonflowers consisted of sulfur, which was capable of chemically vulcanizing rubber.
The species is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for its flowers. In areas too cold for winter survival, it can be grown as an annual plant. Since it is of tropical origin, it flowers best under a summer short day photoperiod. Though it can be successfully flowered in the north, its flowering is impaired by excessively long summer days. Thus, it often does not set buds and bloom until early autumn when daylight length is once again near 12 hours. Propagation is usually by seed. The seed resembles a small, brownish nut, and should be nicked with a file and then soaked overnight before planting. In some areas, it is an invasive species which can cause problems in agricultural settings.
It is a perennial, herbaceous liana growing to a height of 5-30 m tall with twining stems. The leaves are entire or three-lobed, 5-15 cm long, with a 5-20 cm long stem. The flowers are fragrant, white or pink, and large, 8-14 cm diameter. The flowers open quickly in the evening and last through the night, remaining open until touched by the morning sun. On overcast days, the blossoms may remain open for longer. The flowers also tend to remain open longer during cool temperatures - which may also cause the segments to snag or tear as they open.