Oenothera speciosa
About 30 cm tall, this herbaceous perennial forms creeping rhizomes with basal rosettes, bears saucer-shaped flowers that open white by day and turn pale pink by evening from early summer to early autumn, and can be occasionally invasive.
Common Names
Evening Primrose, Pink Ladies, White Evening Primrose, Pink Evening Primrose, Showy Evening Primrose, Mexican Primrose
Summary
Oenothera speciosa, commonly called pink evening primrose or showy evening primrose, is a herbaceous perennial native to the central United States and Mexico that forms extensive colonies by creeping rhizomes. It grows about 10–24 inches tall and 12–18 inches wide, with oblong to lance-shaped leaves and erect to sprawling stems bearing large four-petaled pink or white flowers that are fragrant, open in the evening, and about 2 inches across, creating a mass of color from spring through fall. Preferring full sun and well-drained soils, it is drought-tolerant once established and tolerates poorer soils, with watering mainly during dry periods. Hardy in USDA zones 4–9, it spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding, sometimes naturalizing or becoming aggressive, so containment in beds or containers is advised. Propagation is by seed or division; it attracts bees, butterflies, and moths, and birds are drawn to seed capsules; it is deer resistant and generally free of serious insect or disease issues. Useful as a ground cover in prairies, meadows, wildflower gardens, or naturalized areas, it can be grown in beds, borders, or rock gardens with appropriate containment.
Lifecycle
Perennial (herbaceous; can behave as an annual in zones 2–5 and 9–11)
Height
10-24 inches
Spread
12-18 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil, preferably sandy or loamy, with a pH around 6.0–7.0.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil, ideally sandy or loamy.
Soil pH
6.0-7.0 pH (slightly acidic to neutral), tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Pink (most common), with white and pink-to-white varieties
Bloom Time
Spring through Fall
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast, aggressive growth with rapid spread by rhizomes and seeds
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts birds, bees, butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Nutt.
- Publication
- J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia ii. (1821) 119.
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Myrtales
- Family
- Onagraceae
- Genus
- Oenothera
Synonyms
Oenothera delessertiana Oenothera obtusifolia Oenothera shimekii Xylopleurum obtusifolium Xylopleurum nuttallii Xylopleurum hirsutum Xylopleurum drummondii Oenothera speciosa var. childsii Oenothera speciosa var. speciosa Xylopleurum speciosum Oenothera hirsuta Oenothera speciosa f. subintegrifolia Oenothera speciosa var. serrulatiformis Oenothera spachii Hartmannia speciosa Oenothera tetraptera var. childsii