Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Share

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.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:
Ludwigia octovalvis (Mexican primrose-willow)
Flaigg, Norman G.

Ludwigia octovalvis

Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq.) P.H. Raven

Mexican Primrose-willow, Narrow-leaf Water Primrose, Seedbox, Mexican Primrose Willow

Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: LUOC

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), HI (N), PR (N), VI (N)

 

From the Image Gallery

42 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 12 feet tall, often shorter.

Bloom Information

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

Distribution

USA: AL , FL , GA , HI , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX
Native Habitat: Swamp and wetlands plant that occurs mainly in the southern half of Texas.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Conditions Comments: This Water Primrose is a shrubby herbaceous plant that grows well in moist or shallow, submerged soils. The one inch, bright yellow flowers are numerous in the summer months and look great in a pond with other plants like Swamp Milkweed, Powdery Thalia, and Scarlet Rose-Mallow. It is fast growing and reseeds heavily. May need periodic trimming to prevent them from growing too large and overcoming other plants. Host plant for the Water-primrose hornworm moth, caterpillars and moths that are spectacular to see.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Water-primrose hornworm moth
Nectar Source: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL OBL OBL OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

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

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0127 Collected Sept. 7, 1991 in Bexar County by Lottie Millsaps

1 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-17
Research By: ADA, NPIS, LAL

Go back