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Flower blooms for one night only
CGTN

A rare moonflower has bloomed in Cambridge, U.K. and is believed to be the first time the flower has ever bloomed in the country. 

The moonflower, whose scientific name is Selenicereus wittiiis, is a rare cactus from the Amazon that was planted at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden.

It began to bud in November but has only recently grown in size. The flower only blooms for 12 hours before it shrinks. Typically these flowers only bloom at night but this one started blooming in early Saturday afternoon.

The garden a webcam directed at the and it has so far received nearly 120,000 views. Watch it here.

This moonflower is not to be confused with other flowers that are also known as moonflower such as Epiphyllum oxypetalum, a more common cactus. 

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