Evening Primrose: Oenothera Biennis

Evening Primrose is recognized for their tall stems adorned with bright yellow, four-petaled flowers that typically bloom in the afternoon, contrasted by lance-shaped, green leaves. It is a delightful and beneficial plant with numerous advantages when landscaping. This herbaceous perennial is native to North and South America and has become famous for gardeners due to its striking blooms, versatility, and ecological contributions.

Oenothera biennis is a lovely and prolific North American flower that greatly benefits pollinators in gardens and the wild.

Natural Habitat Of Evening Primrose

Native to North America, Oenothera biennis is naturalized across the United States. This biennial wildflower grows along forest edges and clearings and can also be found in prairies, marshes, pastures, old mines, railroads, roadsides, and other open, disturbed areas. It is one of the few native plants that bloom into late fall.

Oenothera biennis features clusters of four-petaled, bowl-shaped, two-inch-wide yellow blooms that blossom at the top of the stems. The heart-shaped petals surround eight yellow stamens and a cross-shaped stigma. The plant grows three to five feet tall. Its stiff, purple central stalk is covered in oblong olive-, light-, or medium-green leaves that also form a rosette at the plant's base.

Evening Primrose Has A Wonderful Aroma 

Oenothera biennis is a late-season biennial plant that produces abundant fragrant, lemon-scented blooms from July through October. Its blossoms open in the afternoon, after the sun sets, and close up again in the morning after sunrise.

In the garden, this plant will fit right into a cottage or wildflower garden and add color and texture to borders and flower beds. It can also add beauty to meadows and naturalized areas. This quick-growing flower is best planted in late fall. It will bloom in its second year and self-seed unless it's pruned back at the end of its blooming cycle.

Attract Night Pollinators With This Perennial 

Suppose you want to attract pollinators to your garden, plant Oenothera biennis. Night-flying moths are the plant's chief pollinators, and when the flowers stay open on cloudy mornings, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are likely to stop by. Birds will feast on the seeds, and small mammals will nibble on its roots and leaves.

Add Rustic Color With it

If you're looking for an easy way to add rustic color to your landscape and attract more bees, birds, and butterflies, be sure to plant it in your garden. These bright, fragrant plants will bring you joy during the late summer months.

Where does it grow best

The recommended environmental conditions are rich, well-drained, sandy or loamy soil, full-sun to part-shade location.

What Is An Interesting Fact About it

These flowering plants produce bright yellow flowers that open at night when moths pollinate them.

Does it multiply

Yes, it reproduces well through propagation from seeds through self-sowing. Once it has seeded itself, it can self-propagate quite easily, so you get these great colored patches of flowers year after year.

How long does it take for it to germinate

Seeds of this plant take between 10-30 days to germinate when the appropriate environmental conditions are provided.

What Happens To it After Flowering

Evening Primrose seed pods appear after flowering and can be collected or allowed to shed on the ground to self-sow. Most of the plants tend to wither away, but they drop seeds, which sprout out when the next season comes in.

This Is How Your Plants Will Look upon Delivery

Bloom Season

Spring

Bloom/Foliage Color

Yellow

Height at Maturity

Under 12"

Care

Evening Primrose thrives in well-drained soil and requires regular watering. Trim older flowers to encourage continuous blooming and prevent self-seeding. In spring, fertilize to support robust growth and flowering.

Plant Reproduction

Evening primrose spreads through seeds, underground rhizomes, and runners.

Planting bare-root perennials is best in any season if they are dormant; we only sell dormant plants. Planting them year-round is also excellent if you can get dormant perennials. When your bare-root perennials arrive, soak the roots in water for a few hours to rehydrate them. Lant by digging a hole wide enough to spread the roots comfortably and deep enough to place the top portion crown (where the roots meet the stem) at or slightly above ground level. Position the plant in the hole, backfill with native soil, and gently firm the soil around the roots—water well after planting to settle the soil around the plant and eliminate air. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch to keep weeds at bay and moisture locked in, keeping the mulch away from the crown. Irrigate plants regularly during the first few weeks of drought; never water in full sun, and water late in the evenings to ensure the roots are established well. Fertilize sparingly in the first year, using a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in subsequent years as needed. 

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