Plant library · Hedges · Terrace
Raat ki Rani
Raat ki Rani, Cestrum nocturnum, is a fast-growing shrub grown across India for the heavy scent its small flowers release after dark. It is sometimes called night-blooming jasmine but is not a jasmine; it belongs to the same family as tomato and brinjal. The scent is strong enough that some people find it unpleasant or get headaches near it, and all parts of the plant are toxic if eaten.
Cestrum nocturnum · Raat ki Rani · Ratrani · Hasnahena · Night-blooming jasmine
Size
2–4 m if left unpruned; 1.5–2 m when kept trimmed
Growth
Fast
Leaf
Evergreen
Sun
Full sun to part shade; more flowers in sun
Water
Moderate. Water when the top few centimetres of soil are dry; tolerates short dry spells once established.
Soil
Most well-drained garden soils; adapts to a range of pH
01
How to recognise Raat ki Rani
Family Solanaceae
- aLeaves are simple, alternate, narrow and pointed, 8–15 cm long, soft and slightly glossy.
- bFlowers are small, slender, greenish-white tubes in clusters along the stems, opening at night and closing by day.
- cScent is strong and sweet, carried a long way after sunset and hardly noticeable in the daytime.
- dFruit is a small white berry about 1 cm across, following the flowers.
- eHabit is a loose, arching shrub with many thin stems that grows fast and becomes straggly without pruning.
- fOften confused with Mogra and other jasmines because of the name; Raat ki Rani flowers are much smaller, tubular and greenish.
02
Raat ki Rani in your city
How it grows in each city we work in, and what we do differently there.
Grows fast and flowers in flushes through the warm months. Needs pruning two or three times a year.
Common in Delhi gardens and flowers from spring to the monsoon. Frost in December and January can burn the tips; trim them off in February.
Handles the heat well. In black cotton soil, plant in a pit mixed with sand and compost so water drains after heavy rain.
Frost in December and January can cut young plants back hard. Plant near a wall for shelter; established plants usually regrow in spring.
Grows vigorously in the humid climate. Prune after the monsoon to keep it from becoming leggy.
The mild climate gives steady growth and repeat flowering. Keep it trimmed so it does not crowd other plants.
Tolerates the hot, dry summer with regular deep watering and mulch.
Copes with 45°C heat in the ground. Terrace pots heat up more, so water daily in summer and shade the pot sides.
Grows vigorously in the humid climate. Ensure beds drain through the monsoon.
03
Where it fits
- A scented screen or informal hedge along a boundary, placed away from bedroom windows.
- Garden corners and farmhouse lawns where the evening scent carries across open space.
- Large pots on terraces, positioned with some distance from seating and sleeping areas.
- Mixed shrub borders in societies and campuses where it gets room to spread.
04
Care
- Placement: plant it a few metres from bedrooms and seating areas. The strong night scent can bother some people and may trigger headaches or sneezing in sensitive individuals.
- Safety: all parts of the plant, including the white berries, are toxic if eaten. Avoid planting it where small children or pets may chew the leaves or berries, and remove berries where needed.
- Pruning: cut back by a third after each flowering flush and hard prune once a year at the end of winter to keep it bushy and compact.
- Feeding and watering in pots: use a container at least 40 cm wide and deep, water when the top 3 cm is dry and feed with compost and a balanced fertiliser every six to eight weeks in the growing season.
- Terrace wind: the thin stems break in strong wind, so stake tall plants and keep pots in a sheltered corner of the terrace.
05
Common problems
- Mealybug — white cottony clusters at leaf joints and stems. Spray neem oil or insecticidal soap and remove badly affected shoots.
- Whitefly and aphids — small insects under leaves with sticky honeydew and sooty mould. Wash off and spray neem oil.
- Leggy growth — long, bare stems with flowers only at the ends. Prune hard at the end of winter and pinch new shoots to make it branch.
- Self-sown seedlings — birds spread the berries and seedlings can appear nearby. Pull them out when small.
06
Questions
Is Raat ki Rani poisonous?
Yes. All parts of Cestrum nocturnum, including the berries, are toxic if eaten. Keep it away from areas where children or pets might chew it.
Is the smell of Raat ki Rani harmful?
The scent is very strong at night and some people find it unpleasant or get headaches, sneezing or nausea near it. Plant it away from bedrooms and seating areas.
When does Raat ki Rani flower?
In flushes through the warm months, from spring to the end of the monsoon in most cities. Flowers open after dark and close by morning.
Can Raat ki Rani be grown in a pot?
Yes, in a pot at least 40 cm wide and deep. It grows fast, so it needs regular pruning and feeding to stay compact.
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