Common Evening Primrose
Oenothera biennis Height: 3-6 ft Spread: 1-2 ft Bloom Time: May-October Sunlight: Full Sun to Part Shade Soil Moisture: Medium, Dry Life Cycle: Biennial The four-petaled yellow flowers of Common Evening Primrose are around ¾ to 1½ inches wide and typically bloom at the top of a central stem. True to its name, these blooms open up late in the day, blooming from the evening into the morning. The light color of the flowers are easily seen in the moonlight, and this helps nocturnal pollinators find them. Moths, especially Sphinx Moths, commonly visit the blooms. Other visitors during the day include bumble bees and sometimes hummingbirds. This species is biennial – living two years – and it persists readily through self-seeding. During its first year, it forms a rosette of leaves close to the ground and then it sends up a flowering stalk during its second season. Its leaves are often tinged with red. Deer Resistant. |