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Alex, Betty

Oenothera albicaulis

Oenothera albicaulis Pursh

Whitest Evening-primrose, White-stem Evening-primrose, Pale Evening-primrose

Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)

Synonym(s): Anogra albicaulis, Oenothera ctenophylla

USDA Symbol: OEAL

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

This is a winter annual with stems up to 1 ft. long spreading horizontally in a circle from the root. Basal leaves are spatula-shaped; the upper leaves are pinnately cleft into wavy-margined, narrow lobes. Showy flowers are made up of four, white, heart-shaped petals.

Flowers open near sunset but remain open for several days.

From the Image Gallery

43 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Stems up to about 1 foot long. Central stem erect or ascending, other stems ascending to decumbent.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AZ , CO , IL , KS , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , NY , OK , SD , TX , UT , WY
Native Distribution: MT to AZ, e. to w. ND, w. KS, TX & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Sandy roadsides & fields

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: Flowers open near sunset but remain open for several days.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

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

From the National Organizations Directory

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

Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2025-06-24
Research By: TWC Staff

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