Read compact information about growth, flowers, leaves, uses and five beautiful Oenothera species in the commented evening primrose profile. Lots of tips on sowing and caring for the garden.
What are the properties of evening primrose?
Evening primroses are biennial or perennials with bright yellow flowers that are used as medicinal plants, ornamentals and bee pastures. They require a sunny to partially shaded location, sandy-loamy, calcareous soil and are easy to care for, hardy and non-toxic.
Profile
- Scientific name: Oenothera
- Family: Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae)
- Genus: Evening Primrose with 200 species in 18 sections
- Occurrence: Europe, North America
- Growth type: Perennial
- Growth: biennial or perennial
- Leaves: lanceolate
- Flower: yellow cup flower
- Fruits: capsules
- Toxicity: not poisonous
- Winter hardiness: hardy
- Uses: Medicinal plant, ornamental plant, bee pasture
Growth
Evening primroses grow as biennial or perennial herbaceous plants with bright yellow flowers. Since the evening primrose was introduced from North America as an ornamental plant in 1620, it has spread widely across Europe. In Central Europe, the perennials are a familiar sight in fields and forests, on ruderal areas and along railway lines. These characteristics characterize growth:
- First year: Formation of a rosette of leaves close to the ground.
- Second year: shoots of upright, hairy stems, slightly branched with leaves and flowers.
- Roots: Tap roots up to 160 cm deep.
The two-year-old evening primroses die after flowering and self-sowing. Perennial Oenothera species pull in their above-ground plant parts after the first frost and sprout again the next spring.
Video: Common evening primrose - natural ornamental plant and effective medicinal plant on our doorstep
Species
The diverse evening primrose genus includes numerous beautiful species for every garden style. The following table lists five popular Oenothera perennials that have special characteristics:
| Evening Primrose Types | Common Evening Primrose | Large-flowered Evening Primrose | Upholstered Evening Primrose | Large Evening Primrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Oenothera biennis | Oenothera grandiflora | Oenothera macrocarpa | Oenothera tetragona |
| Synonyms | Yellow evening primrose | Scented Evening Primrose | Missouri Evening Primrose | Garden Evening Primrose |
| Growth height | 80 cm to 200 cm | 60 cm to 140 cm | 40 cm to 50 cm | 45 cm to 60 cm |
| Life Stage | two-year-old | two-year-old | perennial, perennial | perennial, perennial |
| Speciality | edible | 8-10 cm large flowers | prostrate, cushioning | red stems, bronze-brown autumn color |
The properties given refer to evening primroses in garden culture. A wild evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), with a height of 80 cm to 100 cm, remains significantly smaller than its lovingly cared for counterparts in the hobby garden. This does not prevent the two-year-old perennial from invasive propagation by self-sowing with up to 20,000 seeds. It is thanks to this fact that the common evening primrose is classified as a neophyte in Central Europe.
leaves
Evening primroses are characterized by light green leaves in a rosette and decorative flower backdrops along the stems. These characteristics characterize the shapely foliage:
- Basal leaves: close to the ground, ovate to oblong, 10-30 cm long, 2-5 cm wide.
- Stem leaves: alternate, sessile or short-stemmed, lanceolate-pointed, 5-22 cm long, 1-6 cm wide.
- Leaf blade: prominent, red central vein, weakly pronounced lateral nerves
- Leaf properties: edible (only applies to the wild species Oenothera biennis)
Bloom
The experience of an evening primrose blossom is reserved for night owls among hobby gardeners. Only at dusk do the fragrant, bright yellow cup flowers unfold. The next morning, the short-lived flowers have already withered and are cleared of the field so that the reddish-brown buds of the next night bloom can unfold.
- Flowering time: June to September at night
- flower shape: simple, bowl-shaped
- flower ecology: hermaphrodite
- Pollination: predominantly moths, less often long-bees, bumblebees and butterflies
- Flower properties: edible, fragrant
- Special feature: Evening primrose flowers open within a few minutes.
Because the nocturnal flowering extends into the morning, diurnal insects also fly to the bright yellow cupped flowers. With this flowering rhythm in conjunction with a rich nectar buffet, evening primroses are a swarming bee pasture in every natural garden.
Usage
In the 17th century, evening primroses were imported as picturesque ornamental plants, tasty vegetable plants and spicy culinary herbs for the cottage garden. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the common evening primrose has been highly valued as a medicinal plant. Resourceful scientists discovered a high concentration of gamma-linolenic acid in the seeds. This vital, essential fatty acid is said to naturally strengthen mental and physical resilience.
Evening primrose oil obtained from the seeds has further beneficial and healing effects. Applied internally or externally, evening primrose oil has an anti-inflammatory effect and relieves painful neurodermatitis. The natural remedy is also recommended for asthma, rheumatism, migraines, hay fever, high blood pressure, menstrual and menopausal problems.
Planting evening primroses
The easiest way to plant evening primroses is to sow seeds. You can buy evening primroses as young plants in tree nurseries and garden centers at the best planting time from August onwards. The right location for the undemanding natural beauties is quickly found. The best planting tips to read:
Location
This is the optimal location for evening primroses in the garden:
- Sunny to semi-shady location.
- Warm and protected from the wind.
- Sandy-loamy, permeable and calcareous garden soil, preferably dry to fresh.
Sowing
How to sow evening primrose seeds correctly:
- Sowing dates: late April to mid-May and mid-July to early August (autumn sowing primarily for evening primrose).
- Preparation: Rake the soil into fine crumbs, loosen the clay soil with sand.
- Sowing: Press light germinators 0.5 cm to 1 cm deep into the soil, water with a fine spray.
In normal weather, the germination time is 12 to 16 days. Separate the strongest seedlings at a distance of 25 cm x 20 cm.
Planting
The best time to plant evening primrose perennials in containers is early fall. Place the potted root balls in spacious planting pits. Sprinkle each pit bottom with sand or lava granules as drainage to prevent waterlogging. The correct planting distance for perennial species is 25 cm to 30 cm. Please plant cushion-forming species at a distance of 40 cm to 50 cm. For the majestic, two-year-old evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), please plan a planting distance of 65 cm.
Excursus
mullein evening primrose No confusion possible
At first glance, mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) look very similar. You can accurately distinguish between perennials based on two characteristics: the leaves and stems of mullein are much more hairy. The yellow cup flowers of a mullein open at sunrise and wither in the evening. Evening primroses develop their fragrant flowers from dusk to dawn.
Caring for evening primroses
Evening primroses are very easy to care for. A low water and nutrient supply is sufficient for he althy, flower-rich growth. It is advantageous to prune at the right time for beautiful re-blooming in autumn. Simple winter protection in the year of planting is recommended, especially in harsh, cold winter locations. The best care tips for evening primroses in a nutshell:
Pouring
- Water evening primroses in the event of prolonged drought after a previous finger test.
- Use normal tap water as irrigation water for an extra portion of lime.
- Water thoroughly in the early morning or after sunset without causing waterlogging.
Fertilize
- Two-year-old evening primroses in the second year (March/April) are fertilized with compost and horn shavings.
- Provide perennial evening primroses with compost as starter fertilizer every spring.
- Alternatively, administer liquid herbal fertilizer (€6.00 on Amazon) in April and June (shortly before flowering) to protect the leaf rosette.
Cutting
- Clean out wilted flowers to increase the abundance of flowers and extend the flowering period.
- After the first flower bloom, cut off withered plant parts for autumnal re-blooming.
- Extra tip: Fertilize the perennials liquidly after pruning in summer.
- Cut back dead stems before the onset of winter up to the rosette of leaves.
Wintering
With a robust winter hardiness of up to -35° Celsius, winter protection is not actually part of the care program. What could be dangerous for evening primroses are constant rain, slush and standing water. Even simple precautions are enough to protect against moisture. If you cover the leaf rosette with leaves and spruce branches before the first frost, the moisture-sensitive root ball will remain largely dry even in winter.
Popular varieties
Beautiful, easy-care evening primrose varieties enchant the garden with the yellow beacon of their impressive flower candles:
- High light: representative garden variety with 10 cm large, lemon-yellow cup flowers at night, 50-60 cm high.
- African Sun: picturesque cushion evening primrose for the sandy-dry rock garden, 25 cm high and 50 cm wide.
- Erica Robin: magnificent evening primrose perennial, dark green leaves with red autumn color, 40-50 cm high.
- Yella Fella: long-lasting evening primrose with rainproof cup flowers from June to November, growth height up to 70 cm.
- Michelle Ploeger: easy-care, colorful variety, recommended plant for beginners with flowering guarantee.
FAQ
What is evening primrose oil?
A healing and beneficial oil is obtained from the seeds of the common evening primrose. Evening primrose oil is suitable for internal and external use as a natural remedy. Taking it promises relief from circulatory problems, high blood pressure, asthma and diarrhea, as well as headaches and menopausal symptoms. Evening primrose oil also has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps with extremely dry skin. A high concentration of valuable gamma-linolenic acid in the seeds is responsible for the broad spectrum of effectiveness.
Is evening primrose poisonous?
No, evening primrose is not poisonous. In fact, all parts of the common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) are not only edible, but also very he althy. Our ancestors already valued the leaves, flowers and seeds as raw food and winter vegetables. If the fleshy roots are harvested before the flowering period, they pamper the palate with a sweet and spicy taste that is reminiscent of raw ham. All other Oenothera species are also non-poisonous, but not suitable for consumption.
Can you make evening primrose oil yourself?
As ingredients you need 6 g evening primrose seeds and 20 ml almond oil. The ripe capsule fruits with the black-brown seeds are harvested in autumn. Pound the seeds from the dried capsules into a mortar. Mix the ground seeds with the almond oil. The oil-seed mixture is heated in a 50° water bath for 2 hours. Run the finished evening primrose oil through a fine sieve or filter paper into a dark bottle.
What effect does evening primrose tea have? How is it prepared?
The leaves of a common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) are suitable for making tea. Evening primrose leaves are ideally harvested shortly before the flowering period begins. Scald a tablespoon of fresh or dried leaves with 500 milliliters of boiling water. After 10 minutes, strain the leaves. Enjoy the antispasmodic and relaxing effect of evening primrose tea for stomach and intestinal problems, headaches, everyday stress and high blood pressure.
