Oenothera biennis Seeds for Evening Primrose Flowers

Evening Primrose, a biennial wildflower native to most of North America, is a plant that stands 4-6 feet tall, with bright yellow flowers commonly seen in late summer and fall. This species thrives in dry, well-drained soils and tolerates both sunny and shady conditions. Its flowers attract a variety of native bees, and they open visibly fast every evening, creating an intriguing spectacle, hence the name "evening primrose." Other common names for this plant include Evening star, sundrop, German rampion, King's cure-all, and fever-plant.

Fragrant and showy, Oenothera biennis, also known as the Common Evening Primrose, is an erect biennial featuring large, bowl-shaped, lemon-scented, yellow flowers, up to 2 inches across (5 cm), at the top of a stiff, purple-tinged flower stem. Blooming profusely from early summer to early fall, the flowers open in the evening and remain open through late morning. They rise on leafy, branched stems from a basal rosette of oblong, medium green leaves. This Evening Primrose completes its life cycle in 2 years, with the basal leaves becoming established the first year and the flowering occurring the second year. The seeds, however, stay and germinate if the soil is disturbed.

The entire Evening Primrose plant is edible: the leaves can be cooked as green vegetables, and the flowers make beautiful salad garnish. This plant is valuable for its ability to grow in poor soils and tolerate drought, providing a bold splash of color in the summer garden. Winter hardy, the perennial plant grows 3-5 feet tall (90-150 cm) and 2-3 feet wide (60-90 cm), and may spread by self-seeding in a somewhat weedy fashion.

Best grown in full sun in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils, Evening Primrose also tolerates gravelly or sandy soils, drought, and light shade. It is a great choice for prairies and meadows, wildflower gardens, or naturalized areas, and can be planted in beds and borders. There are no serious insect or disease issues, although one should watch for leaf spot and powdery mildew.

In terms of growing instructions, Evening Primrose seeds can be planted outdoors after frost or indoors weeks before the last frost. All multiple orders of the same seed are put in the same bag, regardless of the quantity ordered.

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