Pink Evening Primrose Oenothera speciosa
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Hartmannia speciosa
- Oenothera delessertiana
- Oenothera speciosa var. childsii
- Phonetic Spelling
- oh-no-THER-ah speh-see-OH-sah
- Description
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Showy Evening Primrose is native to SW USA but has naturalized to many other parts of the country. It spreads by stoloniferous rootstocks and seeds forming a groundcover. The large flowers are cup-shaped and showy, usually opening in the evening or cloudy days although in some areas of the county they open during the day. It is drought tolerant and grows in any soil types except poor drainage ones. It will go dormant if it receives no moisture in summer. Flowers best in sun but will grow in shade as a groundcover but not flower.
It is best used in naturalized areas as it can take over a perennial garden. Planting it in poor, rocky, infertile soil will encourage it to grow in a more well-behaved clump.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Oenothera
- Species:
- speciosa
- Family:
- Onagraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Mexico
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , AZ , CA , CT , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , NE , NM , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , UT , VA , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Butterflies and bees are attracted to the nectar in the flowers. Members of the genus Oenothera support the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Apomelissodes) fimbriatus and Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) oenotherae. Seeds attract birds and small mammals.
- Edibility:
- Cook as greens or in salads, best flavor when collected before flowering
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- High
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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 Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2 inch oval 4-angled capsules that contain numerous seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1-2 inch 4 petaled pink to white cup-shaped flowers with pink to red veins and yellow throats are borne solitary in the leaf axils on hair stems. They can either be day or evening blooming depending on what part of the country. Generally, evening blooming in NC.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Undulate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 2-4 inch long and .75-1.5 inches wide green pubescent leaves are narrow lanceolate to oblanceolate on short stems or sessile. Margins can be wavy, toothed or lobed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The light green stems are terete, covered with appressed hairs and erect to sprawling
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy
