Evening Primrose
Oenothera
Evening Primrose Plant Features
The subtle pink, upward facing, cup-like flowers of evening primrose are so cheerful they almost seem to smile at you as you pass by. This easy-care sun worshipper is a snap to grow and tolerates a variety of tough conditions. Evening primrose grows about 2 feet tall, but has a tendency to sprawl in a casual manner. That's what makes evening primrose a great groundcover for exposed hillsides or slopes. The fragrant flowers appear all summer long and will entice butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Rabbits and deer generally do not feed on evening primrose. Hardy from zones 5-9.
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Evening Primrose Growing Instructions
Evening primrose thrives in a sunny location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day. The plants are not fussy about soil type and will grow and spread in even poor sandy soil. Evening primrose can become invasive so plant it where you can appreciate its spreading nature.
Evening primrose is not intended for human or animal consumption.
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Light
Outside: Sun
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Colors
Pink
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Water
Low water needs
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Special Features
Attracts butterflies
Attracts hummingbirds
Deer/rabbit resistant
Fragrant flowers/foliage
Groundcover
Super-easy to grow
Complement your Evening Primrose with these varieties:
Tolerant of tough conditions Coreopsis makes a good partner for Evening Primrose.
Coneflower and Evening Primrose both work well in butterfly gardens.
Mix Daylily and Evening Primrose on a sunny hillside and enjoy the flower show.
Varieties: Our Favorites
Glowing Magenta Evening Primrose
Oenothera kunthiana 'Glowing Magenta'
Glowing Magenta evening primrose is a garden showstopper. It sports bold, hot-pink flowers all summer long. Only growing 12 inches tall and wide, it's perfect for gardens of any size. Zones 5-8
Lemon Sunset Evening Primrose
Oenothera 'Lemon Sunset'
‘Lemon Sunset’ evening primrose gets its name from its brilliant yellow blooms that slowly fade to a glowing orange-red as they mature. A super-easy flower, ‘Lemon Sunset’ grows 2 to 3 feet tall and blooms all summer long.
Siskiyou Pink Evening Primrose
Oenothera 'Siskiyou Pink'
A vigorous spreader, ‘Siskiyou Pink’ evening primrose makes a great groundcover on a sunny slope or hillside. Its clear pink, 2-inch-wide flowers appear all summer and occasionally into the fall. It grows 10 to 12 inches tall.
Twilight Evening Primrose
Oenothera 'Twilight'
Prized for its colorful leaves and flowers, ‘Twilight’ evening primrose produces masses of bright pink blooms atop a mound of bronze leaves with bright green margins. It grows 12 inches tall and looks great in containers and in the border as a groundcover.