The striking evening primrose (Oenothera) develops long successions of solitary, cup-shaped to bowl-shaped flowers in strong colors from June to September. The flowers are followed by interesting, winged seeds in bellows-like fruits. However, the common evening primrose in particular not only adorns the garden, but can also be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen and in medicine. The wonderful perennials require little care.
How do I properly care for evening primroses?
Evening primrose care includes sparing watering, infrequent fertilization (once at the beginning of the growing season and in July), regular cutting back of spent shoots and winter protection for frost-sensitive species. Pests such as aphids, mildew and slugs should be controlled.
How often do you need to water evening primroses?
The otherwise undemanding plant does not tolerate moist soils at all. You should therefore protect them from too much moisture, especially in winter. Evening primroses grown in pots should only be watered from time to time.
When and with what should you fertilize evening primroses?
Evening primroses thrive best on poor soils and should therefore not be fertilized too often. Basically, one fertilization at the beginning of the growing season and another in July at the flowering time with complete fertilizer is completely sufficient. The perennial can also be supplied with organic fertilizer (e.g. compost (€41.00 on Amazon), horn shavings or stable manure).
When and how can you cut evening primrose?
To extend the flowering period, you should regularly cut back dead shoots. It also makes sense to cut back towards the end of winter. However, if you want to obtain seeds for propagation or let the plant sow itself, you should leave what has faded and only cut it shortly before the start of the new growing season.
What diseases/pests commonly occur in evening primrose?
Mildew - both real and false - are always a problem with evening primrose. Aphids are also common and bring the unwanted rust fungus with them. In addition, the voracious slugs especially (but not only!) love the young shoots - what we humans like, these animals also like.
How are evening primroses overwintered?
The type of overwintering depends on the type and variety of evening primrose. The common evening primrose, which is native to us, is frost hardy and does not need winter protection, more exotic species such as the Missouri evening primrose or the high evening primrose should at least be piled up with a little brushwood to protect against frosty temperatures.
Tip
Evening primroses can be propagated quite easily via seeds as well as cuttings. Another option for propagation is to divide the perennial, which actually extends the lifespan of the plant, which is actually only two years old.