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Botanical name: Cestrum nocturnum
Family: Solanaceae (potato family)
Common name: Night-blooming cestrum, Night blooming jasmine, Rat ki rani (Hindi), Thabal lei (Manipuri), Hasna hana (Bengali), Raatrani (Marathi, Konkani)
Habitat:Native to Mexico, Central America, India and Cuba, Bangladesh.

Description:This sprawling shrub has glossy, smooth, simple leaves 4″-8″ long. Vine-like stems reach up to 12′ in its native habitat, but it seldom reaches more than a 4′ mound in a single season. It blooms in cycles throughout warm weather. Greenish-creamy white tubular flowers rise from above leaves along the stem, followed by shiny white, fleshy berries. Although the flowers are not showy to the eye, their sweet scent can overpower. The perfume is distinctly powerful at night – this feature has had its influence on its common name in all languages. The Hindi name translates to queen of the night, while the Manipuri name means moon flower. No fragrant garden should be without this nocturnal beauty. While night blooming jasmine is a gorgeous plant with charming blooms, the scent also produces severe allergic reactions in some individuals.

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Cultivation and uses:
Cestrum nocturnum also known as Night Blooming Jasmine, is grown in subtropical regions as an ornamental plant for its strongly-scented flowers. It grows best in average to moist soil that is light and sandy, with a neutral pH of 6.6 to 7.5, and is hardy to hardiness zone 8. Feed bi-weekly with a weak dilution of seaweed and fish emulsion fertilizer.

All parts of the plant are highly poisonous.

Adverse factors
Common pests Poisonous parts Poisonous indications Internal poison no Dermatologic poison no Livestock poison no Mechanical injury no Hay fever pollen Hay fever season Adverse qualities

Herbal medicine
Medicinal properties Medicinal parts Has medicinal uses no Do not self-administer no Do no use if pregnant no Legally restricted no Toxicity precautions Medicinal notes

Traditional uses
Parts used Traditional uses Contemporary uses Fragrance intensely sweet musk and Heliotrope scent at night. Fragrance parts Flowers Fragrance intensity Mild Fragrance category Perfume Dye parts Dye color

Nutrition
Is edible no Culinary uses Nutritional value Edible parts Description of edible parts Flavor / texture

Invasive potential:
It has become widely naturalised in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, including Australia, southern China and the southernmost United States, and is difficult to eradicate. It is classed as a weed in some countries.
Resources:

http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Night%20Blooming%20Jasmine.html

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

http://www.crescentbloom.com/plants/specimen/ce/Cestrum%20nocturnum.htm

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