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Sturla, Gene

Oenothera deltoides

Oenothera deltoides Torr. & Frém.

Birdcage Evening-primrose, Fragrant Primrose, Desert Evening-primrose, Birdcage Primrose, Dune Evening Primrose, Devil's-lantern

Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: OEDE2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Opening around sunset and wilting by mid-morning, the large flowers of Devil�s-lantern or Fragrant Primrose make a showy nighttime display. This is a mounded annual with a central, erect stem, 2-12+ in. high, and several leafy, decumbent to ascending branches 4 in. to 3 ft. long. The 3 in. wide, night-blooming flowers occur singly in the upper leaf axils. These flowers are white, fading pink, and are followed by a woody capsule.

From the Image Gallery

100 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NV , OR , UT
Native Distribution: Mohave & Colorado Deserts of s. CA to AZ
Native Habitat: Dry, open, sandy areas

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Sandy soils.

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: Sow unstratified seed in fall; stratified in spring. Plants can be divided at most any season.
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 on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

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

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1994 VOL. 11, NO.5 - Sowing Seeds in Fall for a Spectacular Spring Season, Education Director's Repor...
Wildflower Newsletter 1996 VOL. 13, NO.5 - Bats as Cacti Pollinators, Fall Foliage Hotlines, Creating Fall Foliage Leafprin...

Additional resources

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2025-02-13
Research By: TWC Staff

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