Common Evening Primrose
Oenothera biennis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Onagraceae
- Genus:
- Oenothera
- Species:
- Oenothera biennis
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 6-8 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jul, aug, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- Yellow
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Reported Fauna Sightings
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in disturbed areas and poor soils
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Seeds are cold stratified. Mix the seeds with an equal amount of moist perlite or vermiculite. Put mixture into a sealed container and proceed with 3 months of moist cold stratification in a refrigerator or cold garage. Cold store until planted (up to 3 years).
Establishment: Seeds are collected by hand from locally native plants within the eastern central Upper Peninsula. The plant is found in non forested areas of North America, dry, sandy roadsides, clearings, disturbed ground, fields, dunes, beaches. It is a stout, erect sometimes branched biennial up to 2 meters tall, often with purplish stems produced from the previous years' rosette. Yellow flowers are borne on dense terminal elongated spikes.
Source: npn.rngr.net