Margaret Mee: painting the Amazon Moonflower
Journey into the heart of the Amazon through the eyes of the artist Margaret Mee in our latest display featuring gems from our Library, Archives, Illustrations and Herbarium collections.
The blooms of the Amazon moonflower cactus open only for a single night. Margaret Mee MBE was on a mission to be the first to paint it. Now you can see her historic painting, here at Kew.
From the first time botanical artist Margaret Mee (1909-88) saw the Amazon moonflower, Strophocactus wittii syn Selenicereus wittii, on her third expedition to the Amazon in 1964, she was determined to paint its flower in bloom. Mee collected and drew the moonflower on a number of expeditions, but capturing the plant flowering eluded Mee throughout 32 years of plant-hunting and painting in the Amazon.
In 1988, Mee finally became the first botanical artist to ever succeed in painting this plant flowering in the wild. Kew is delighted to have recently acquired this landmark piece of botanical art.
Visit our new display highlighting the important and incredible work of Margaret Mee and her quest to paint the Amazon moonflower in bloom.
Important information
You do not need to enter the Gardens or buy a ticket to view this display. The Herbarium building is located outside of the main garden site and gates.
Come to the reception in the Herbarium building on the north side of Kew Green and you will be directed up to the Reading Room on the first floor.