Oenothera biennis
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ee-no-THEE-ruh by-EN-iss
- Description
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An upright biennial in the Onagraceae family. It commonly grows in fields, prairies, glades, thickets, waste ground, disturbed sites, and along roadsides and railroad right-of-ways. This plant naturalizes easily and works well planted along boarders or makes an excellent addition to a wildflower, cottage, or herb garden. It is highly drought tolerant. Flowers open at dusk and close again in the morning when hit by sun, hence the common name of evening primrose. Fruits are capsules (narrow seed pods to 1 1/2” long) which split open when ripe to release numerous seeds (to 100 seeds per capsule). Plants die after setting seed, but will naturalize in the landscape.Wildlife Value: Flowers are fertilized by night-flying moths which are attracted by the mild lemon flower fragrance and by bees in the early morning before closure. Seeds attracts birds. Members of the genus Oenothera support the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Apomelissodes) fimbriatus and Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) oenotherae.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Leaf spot and powdery mildew may occur.
Regions: Mostly eastern and central North America
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cabarrus County Poolside Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Oenothera
- Species:
- biennis
- Family:
- Onagraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, United States
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Wildflower
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
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Fruit:
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1-2 in. four-petaled, 4-sepals, 8 stamens and a prominent style with a cross-shaped stigma. Petals are pale lemon yellow and bowl-shaped. Flowers bloom in a multi-flowered terminal panicle, they open in the evening and remain open through morning, closing in the heat of day.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- In the first year, it produces a basal rosette of shallow-toothed, lanceolate, light green to olive green leaves (to 4-8” long and 2” wide) Leaves are elliptic to lance-shaped leaves, stalkless, wavy-toothed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Description:
- In the second year, and upright, hairy, reddish-green flower stem (can be multiple stems) with spirally arranged leaves rises from the center of the rosette to 3-5’ tall, topped by a showy summer to fall (June to September) bloom.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
