Evening primroses (Oenothera) are popular ornamental plants that come in many different varieties. But whether common evening primrose, red-stem or Missouri evening primrose, all representatives of this genus need a sunny spot. You can find out what else you should pay attention to when choosing a location in the article below.
Which location do evening primroses prefer?
The ideal location for evening primrose is sunny to full sun, with deep, well-drained and dry soil that is nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich. In the shade, the plants hardly produce flowers and tend to overgrow.
Lots of sun and nutrient-poor soil
Evening primroses prefer a sunny to full sun location and nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil. This should be as deep as possible, very permeable and dry. The perennial does not tolerate moisture particularly well. Evening primroses are wonderful for colorful perennial beds and borders as well as for rock and gravel gardens. But be careful: the evening primrose hardly produces any flowers in the shade, and the plant, which grows more like a cushion, tends to grow quickly.
Matching neighboring plants
Evening primroses often have bright flower colors that need correspondingly colorful neighbors. For example, burning love (Silene chalcedonica), low sun bride (Helenium hybrids), fine jet (Erigon hybrids) or spur flowers (Centranthus ruber) are suitable. Cistus (Cistus), lavender (Lavandula) and holy herb (Santolina) also create a harmonious overall picture.
Tip
The red-stemmed evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa) has particularly beautiful, bright yellow flowers. The varieties “African Sun”, “Camel”, “Cold Crick” and “Fyrverkeri” are particularly recommended.
