Primrose White Evening

Oenothera pallida

Characteristics

Culture

Primrose White Evening, a Texas Native, is easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates some afternoon part shade and drought. Also tolerates poor soils. Soils should have good drainage. Plants will spread, sometimes aggressively, by rhizomes and self-seeding to form large colonies. A charming rhizomatous perennial boasting fragrant, satiny white flowers, with the delicate texture of crumpled silk. Large, 3 in. wide, pretty flowers open from reddish purple buds and become soft pink with age.  The flowers open in the evening and remain open until late morning.

Noteworthy Characteristics

A much loved North American Native Wildflower, Pale Evening Primrose is a prolific bloomer throughout the summer. Blooms emerge in the cool evening and close back up against the heat of the day. A perfect addition to your moon garden!  Native to rocky sandy soils of the Western U.S., it easily adapts to moist rich garden soil. A valuable plant for its ability to grow in hot dry sites.  It also has special value to Native Bees.  Flowers are purest white and are centered with a lime green eye.  The scalloped flowers appear on branching and trailing stems forming a lax mound to 30” tall and across. Nice linear blue green foliage. Showy flowers are made up of four, white, heart-shaped petals.  Flowers have a sweet, almond-lotion fragrance.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses

Perhaps best grown in areas where plants can spread without intruding on other plantings. Meadows. Wildflower gardens. Roadsides. Informal naturalized areas. Site carefully if planting in beds, borders or rock gardens.  Ground cover, edging, containers, moon gardens.