Share

Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Search native plant database:
Name:    
Family:    

Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri (Hooker's evening-primrose)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri (Torr. & Gray) W. Dietr. & W.L. Wagner

Hooker's evening-primrose, Giant evening-primrose

Onagraceae (Evening-Primrose Family)

Synonyms: Oenothera hookeri

USDA Symbol: OEELH2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

This is one of the largest and showiest of the evening-primroses. The biennial spends its first year as a low rosette of leaves. The second year, clusters of bright yellow, 3 in., flowers are borne atop the leafy 3-6 ft. stems. These flowers unfurl in late afternoon or at dusk, are quite fragrant, and have four heart-shaped petals.

Other subspecies of O. elata occur throughout the West, east to Montana, Kansas, and Texas.

The subspecies of this plant is named for William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), who was Director of Kew Gardens from 1841-1865. He wrote “Flora boreali-americana” and many other works. He was founder and editor of “Journal of Botany”.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Biennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: W. KS to CA, s. to Mex.
Native Habitat: Sandy stream banks; low, marshy areas
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist soils.
Conditions Comments: This plant tends to become weedy.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Plant untreated seed in the fall. As with other biennials, it is best to plant the seeds two successive years to establish a continuously flowering population.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Seeds germinate without pretreatment.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1989 VOL. 6, NO.2 - Wildflower Network Operates in Louisiana, Wildflower Handbook Published, Researc...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri

Metadata

Record Modified: 2010-06-04
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back