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Bransford, W.D. Mrs.

Oenothera speciosa Nutt.

Pink evening primrose, Showy evening primrose, Mexican evening primrose, Showy primrose, Pink ladies, Buttercups, Pink buttercups

Onagraceae (Evening-Primrose Family)

USDA Symbol: oesp2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Pinkladies or pink evening-primrose is an upright to sprawling, 1 1/2 ft. perennial, which spreads to form extensive colonies. Its large, four-petaled flowers, solitary from leaf axils, range in color from dark pink to white. Nodding buds, opening into pink or white flowers, are in the upper leaf axils on slender, downy stems. The delicate-textured, cup-shaped blossoms are lined with pink or red veins. Foliage is usually linear and pinnate, although leaves can be entire and lance-shaped depending on locality. A hardy and drought resistant species that can form colonies of considerable size. The flowers may be as small as 1 (2.5 cm) wide under drought conditions. The plant is frequently grown in gardens and escapes from cultivation.

As the common name implies, most of these species also open their flowers in the evening, closing them again early each morning. The flowers of some members of the genus open in the evening so rapidly that the movement can almost be observed. Pink evening primrose, however, opens its flowers in the morning, closing each evening. To further complicate matters, populations in north Texas tend to open in the evening.

 

From the Image Gallery

View herbarium specimen from Harry T. Cliffe Bexar Regional Herbarium.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Semi-evergreen
Size Class: 1-3 ft.
Size Notes: 1-2 feet
Leaf Color: Medium green. Some leaves red in autumn.
Flower Size: 2 inches across

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Bloom Notes: In southern parts of its range, blooms tend to be darker pink or rose and to open in the morning. Northern populations are often paler or white and night-blooming. An average coloration would have shell-pink blooms that transition to white in the center and are veined in a deeper pink. Flowers release a scent starting at dusk. In the most southerly parts of its range, from Chihuahuan Desert grasslands to northeastern Mexico, blooms whenever temperatures are above freezing. Elsewhere, blooms heaviest during spring, with blooms diminishing in size as the weather gets hotter. Each flower lasts only a single day.

Distribution

USA: AL , AZ , AR , CA , CT , FL , GA , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , MS , MO , NE , NM , NC , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , UT , VA , WV
Native Distribution: Originally native only to grasslands of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and northeastern Mexico. Naturalized elsewhere.
Native Habitat: Prairies, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannahs, Hillsides, Slopes, Woodland edges, Forest openings.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
Soil Description: Readily colonizes in open areas in a variety of well-drained soils, rich or poor, dry or moist, disturbed or not: loams, clays, sand, caliche, rocky, or gravelly.
Conditions Comments: It cannot withstand complete soil dryness. Plants often go dormant in summer, resprouting with fall rains. Can work as a dense foliage groundcover in shade, but wont bloom without adequate sunlight.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Full sun groundcover with showy flowers
Use Wildlife: Seed capsules attract birds, especially finches, and various mammals.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: Highly

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings , Root Division
Description: Propagate by seed in fall. After distributing seed evenly, rake into loosened topsoil to ensure good seed/soil contact. Seeding rate is ½ pound per acre but supply is extremely limited.
Seed Treatment: Getting the seed to germinate may be difficult. The pre-germination requirements are not determined.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: Remove spent blossoms and fertilize in spring with rose food to encourage more blooms. Allow seeds to completely mature before mowing for reseeding or collecting seed to plant in a new area. To prevent summer dormancy, water sparingly. If gets too aggressive, divide and separate.
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Find Seed or Plants

Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center.

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

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: I recently bought a house in a new subdivision just south of Houston - as with most new developments, the area is devoid of nature for the most part... I have planted many bird/butterfly/bee friendly plants in the backyard and instead of having a traditional lawn, I would like to create a meadow. I have been looking at the Wildflower Center's selection of native seeds, but I'm not sure where to start. Can you help me choose some native grasses and wildflowers that might do well in the wet clay soil? I am a big fan of insects and birds and want to make my yard into a refuge for them. Thank you for your help!
click here to view the full question and answer

Question: I have volunteered to plant flowers/bushes around a sign at my church. I want to plant indigenous plants so the maintenance is low but I also want attractive plants. The soil is clay and the location is exposed 24/7 to the elements. I thought about the yucca but I don't know what other plants would work with it.
click here to view the full question and answer

Question: My wife and I want to take a section of our front lawn that is currently in Bermuda grass and plant some native perennials with lots of flowers. The area will be a quarter-circle in a corner of the lawn with the 2 straight sides approximately 8-10 feet long. Three related questions, what would be the best way (ecological acceptable and good for the coming bed) to get rid of the Bermuda grass. What would be the best method of improving the soil, it is typical clay for Round Rock, Texas. Third what would be some good plant choices. The site gets sun until late-mid to late afternoon.
click here to view the full question and answer

Question: Good day, I am searching for a list of native Texas flowers (preferably perennials) for a flower garden. Thank you.
click here to view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge - Wimberley, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, S.
Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
McMillen's Texas Gardening: Wildflowers (1998) Howard, D.
Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
* Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...
Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
* Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
* Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

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 speciosa in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Oenothera speciosa in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Oenothera speciosa

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-03-09
Research By: NPC, WFS

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