Evening Primrose (Sundrops)
Oenothera species. ONAGRACEAE.
Planting and Growing Evening Primrose
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow evening primrose in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of evening primrose
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for evening primrose
- Season of bloom and planting time for evening primrose
- When, how deep, and where to plant evening primrose
- How to plant evening primrose
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of evening primrose
- Landscape and container uses of evening primrose
- Comments about evening primrose and its features
Growing Evening Primrose
About 80 species of erect, spreading, often rhizomatous, deciduous annual, biennial, but mostly perennial herbs, 6–24 in. (15–60 cm) tall, 2 ft. (60 cm) wide. Hairy or fuzzy, gray green or green, lance-shaped, pointed, lobed or toothed, scallop-edged leaves, 3–4 in. (75–100 mm) long, in radiating, feathery clusters.
Various Oenothera species bloom during the day, while other species bloom only at evening or night. (For more information, see the Flowers tab.)
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Showy, pink, white, yellow, broad, saucer-shaped, 4-petaled, very fragrant flowers, to 5 in. (13 cm) wide, sometimes with contrasting centers, in late spring–summer.
Narrowleaf evening primrose, Oenothera fruticosa, blooms in daytime. Tufted evening primrose, Oenothera caespitosa and Mexican or showy evening primrose, Oenothera speciosa, bloom at night.
Best Climates
Hardy. Zones 4–11. Best in hot-summer climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp to dry, well-drained, sandy soil. Fertility: Average–low. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Late spring–early summer in full sun, 18–24 in. (45–60 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Very easy. Keep damp; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Drought tolerant. Fertilize annually in spring. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for backgrounds, fencelines, paths in cottage, evening, fragrance gardens. Good for cutting. Pest resistant. Fungal disease susceptible.