Some plants really know how to put on a show after the sun goes down. These night bloomers don’t just look pretty—they fill the air with rich, unforgettable scents.
Perfect for warm evenings on the porch or in the garden, they turn your outdoor space into a dreamy escape. A few of them might even surprise you with just how powerful their perfume is.
Ready to meet the stars of summer nights?
1. Night-Blooming Jasmine
The sweet vanilla-like fragrance intensifies after dusk, filling the air with an intoxicating scent that carries for surprising distances. Many gardeners plant it near windows or patios to enjoy the perfume while relaxing outdoors.
Native to South Asia, this woody climber produces small star-shaped white flowers that remain closed during daylight hours. Unlike day-blooming jasmine varieties, it saves its aromatic performance exclusively for nighttime admirers.
2. Evening Primrose
Watch in amazement as these bright yellow blooms literally pop open at dusk in a fascinating display that happens in just seconds. The subtle honey-like fragrance attracts night moths and creates a magical atmosphere in twilight gardens.
Beyond its evening charm, this North American native offers medicinal benefits too. The seeds produce an oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid, widely used in natural remedies for skin conditions and hormonal balance.
3. Moonflower
Resembling full moons hanging from vines, these dramatic white flowers unfurl rapidly at sunset in a mesmerizing performance worth waiting for. Their sweet vanilla-lemon scent wafts through the air, creating an enchanting atmosphere perfect for evening gatherings.
Fast-growing annual vines can reach 15 feet in a single season, making them ideal for quickly covering trellises or fences. Plant seeds after the last frost and provide strong support for these vigorous climbers with their heart-shaped leaves.
4. Night Phlox
Often called midnight candy, these star-shaped flowers close during daylight and open at dusk, releasing a honey-almond-vanilla fragrance that seems almost edible. The pink, purple, or white blooms create a carpet of color that glows softly in moonlight.
Unlike many night bloomers that grow tall, night phlox forms low mounds only 8-10 inches high, making it perfect for borders and containers. The plants bloom continuously from late spring through summer, providing months of evening enjoyment.
5. Nicotiana
Sometimes called flowering tobacco, these trumpet-shaped blooms release their sweet fragrance only after sunset. The tall stalks sway gently in evening breezes, wafting their jasmine-like scent across the garden and attracting sphinx moths with their long proboscises.
Available in white, pink, lime green, and red varieties, the starry flowers face upward on stems reaching 3-5 feet tall. The heirloom white varieties typically offer the strongest evening perfume compared to newer colorful hybrids.
6. Evening Stock
During daylight hours, these purple or white flowers seem ordinary, but twilight transforms them into fragrance powerhouses. The spicy-sweet clove scent becomes incredibly potent after dark, filling garden nooks with perfume that carries on the breeze.
Growing just 12-18 inches tall, these compact plants work beautifully in containers placed near seating areas. Despite their delicate appearance, they’re surprisingly hardy and can tolerate cool spring temperatures better than many summer annuals.
7. Angel’s Trumpet
Massive pendulous blooms hang like elegant bells from woody shrubs, releasing an intoxicating perfume that intensifies after sunset. The fragrance has spicy-sweet notes that can perfume an entire garden with just one mature plant.
These dramatic plants produce trumpet-shaped flowers up to 12 inches long in shades of white, yellow, peach, and pink. While stunningly beautiful, all parts contain poisonous alkaloids, so place them away from areas where children or pets might reach them.
8. Night-Scented Stock
Unremarkable by day with small lilac or white flowers, this plant undergoes a remarkable transformation as the sun sets. The vanilla-clove fragrance emerges so powerfully it can perfume an entire garden from just a small patch of these modest blooms.
Perfect for containers near patios or bedroom windows, these easy-growing annuals reach just 12-18 inches tall. Plant them in groups for maximum scent impact during evening hours when their otherwise modest appearance is overshadowed by their extraordinary perfume.
9. Tuberose
Considered one of the world’s most fragrant flowers, tuberose releases its heady, exotic scent primarily after dark. The intensely sweet perfume with notes of jasmine, gardenia, and spice has made it a prized ingredient in high-end perfumes for centuries.
Tall spikes of waxy white flowers emerge from bulbs that can be grown in containers and moved to prominent positions when blooming. In warm climates, they’ll return year after year, while northern gardeners often treat them as annuals or dig up bulbs for winter storage.
10. Four O’Clocks
True to their name, these colorful trumpet-shaped blooms open in late afternoon, releasing a sweet lemon-vanilla fragrance that continues through the night. The flowers come in vibrant magenta, yellow, white, and even streaked combinations that glow in evening light.
Remarkably drought-tolerant once established, these bushy plants form tubers that can survive winter in warmer zones. They self-seed readily and attract sphinx moths and hummingbirds with their tubular flowers and intense evening perfume.
11. Casa Blanca Lily
Enormous pure white blooms up to 10 inches across release an intense fragrance that strengthens as evening approaches. The classic lily scent carries impressive distances, making just a few plants sufficient to perfume an entire garden space during summer nights.
Tall stems reaching 3-4 feet support multiple flowers that open in succession over several weeks. Plant bulbs in fall or early spring, positioning them where their dramatic white blooms will catch moonlight and their perfume can waft through open windows.
12. Night-Blooming Cereus
Called “Queen of the Night,” this unusual cactus produces spectacular white flowers that open for just one night each year. The vanilla-like fragrance intensifies as the dinner-plate-sized blooms unfurl, creating a once-a-year sensory event worth staying up late to experience.
Despite its ungainly appearance when not in bloom, this easy-care houseplant rewards patient gardeners with an unforgettable nocturnal display. Many owners host “blooming parties” when flower buds appear, gathering friends to witness the rare nighttime spectacle.
13. Gardenia
While not strictly night-blooming, these glossy-leaved shrubs release their famous perfume most intensely during evening hours. The complex sweet scent with notes of jasmine and vanilla has made gardenias classic favorites for fragrant gardens for centuries.
The waxy white flowers stand out dramatically against dark green foliage, seeming to glow in moonlight. Plant them near patios or bedroom windows where their intoxicating evening fragrance can be fully appreciated during summer relaxation time.
14. Datura
Often confused with angel’s trumpet, these upward-facing trumpet flowers unfurl at dusk, releasing a lemon-honey scent that intensifies throughout the night. The massive white blooms seem to glow in moonlight, creating a magical atmosphere in evening gardens.
Sometimes called moonflower or devil’s trumpet, these easy-growing annuals spread up to 4 feet wide. All parts contain toxic alkaloids, so place them away from children’s areas while still allowing their dramatic nocturnal display to be enjoyed from safe distances.
15. Wisteria
Though primarily known for its spectacular cascading flowers, wisteria’s grape-like fragrance becomes noticeably stronger in evening hours. The sweet perfume drifts from the pendant purple or white flower clusters, creating an enchanting atmosphere on summer nights.
These vigorous woody vines need strong support structures like pergolas or sturdy arbors. Once established, a single plant can produce thousands of fragrant blooms each spring, with some varieties offering a second, lighter flowering period in late summer.
16. Star Jasmine
Not a true jasmine but equally fragrant, these pinwheel-shaped white flowers release their sweet perfume most strongly after sunset. The intoxicating scent carries remarkably well on evening breezes, perfuming entire garden areas from just a few plants.
This versatile evergreen vine can climb trellises or be trained as a flowering ground cover. In warm climates, the glossy foliage remains attractive year-round while the intensely fragrant blooming period extends throughout summer evenings.
17. Night-Scented Orchid
Unlike most showy orchids, this unassuming green-flowered species saves its performance for after dark. The unremarkable blooms release an intense coconut-vanilla fragrance only at night, filling greenhouses or garden rooms with tropical perfume when least expected.
Easy to grow compared to many fussy orchids, these plants make excellent houseplants that surprise evening visitors with their powerful scent. The fragrance is so strong that a single plant can perfume an entire room when its blooming cycle coincides with warm summer nights.
18. Honeysuckle
The nostalgic sweet nectar scent of honeysuckle vines intensifies dramatically as evening approaches. The tubular yellow, white, or pink flowers release their famous fragrance to attract moth pollinators during warm summer nights.
Rapid-growing and adaptable, these classic vines quickly cover fences or trellises with fragrant blooms. Plant them where people gather in the evening, as their sweet perfume creates an instantly recognizable summer atmosphere perfect for outdoor entertaining.
19. Mock Orange
Bursting with citrus-scented white blossoms in early summer, these deciduous shrubs release their orange blossom fragrance most powerfully during evening hours. The sweet perfume drifts through garden spaces, creating a sensory experience reminiscent of orange groves in bloom.
Forming rounded shrubs 6-8 feet tall, they make excellent informal hedges or specimen plants. The four-petaled white flowers appear in such profusion that branches often arch under their weight, creating fountains of fragrant blooms perfect for evening garden enjoyment.
20. Lily of the Valley
Though small in stature, these woodland flowers pack an incredibly powerful sweet perfume that intensifies as daylight fades. The tiny bell-shaped white blooms release their famous scent most strongly during humid evening hours after spring rains.
Creating carpets of fragrant groundcover in shady areas, these spring-blooming perennials return reliably each year. Plant them near garden benches or pathways where their distinctive perfume—a staple in luxury fragrances—can be appreciated during evening garden strolls.