Species white evening primrose
Lavender flower with lime-yellow center, white stigma, white-lime style and filaments, beige-brown anthers, green leaves and stems, yellow midrib and blades.

white evening primrose

Oenothera speciosa

White Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) is a treasured wildflower native to North America. The white petals and centre of the flower form a four-petaled star shape, giving it the common name of ‘white evening primrose’. It features light green strappy leaves that are hairy and deeply lobed. White Evening Primrose is drought tolerant and thrives in dry sunny areas. It blooms in early summer until fall and attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. It is a low maintenance ornamental plant that also happens to be deer resistant. White Evening Primrose adds a lovely texture to any garden and makes a great addition to any wildflower meadow.

Cycle:

Herbaceous Perennial

Watering:

Minimum

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Cutting,Division,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

4 - 9

Flowers:

White maturing to rosy pink Flowers

Sun:

Full sun

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Maintenance:

Low

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

watering

White evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) should be watered when its top inch of soil is dry. Depending on the environmental conditions, water every 3-4 days during spring and summer, and every 5-10 days during fall and winter. Be careful that the plant does not sit in water for long, as this may cause its roots to rot. Generally, it is best to water deeply, instead of light and frequent watering.

sunlight

White evening primroses prefer full-sun exposure throughout the day. This plant should receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive. In zones 8 and 9, this plant can even handle some additional, indirect light during the hot afternoon hours. During the warmer months, white evening primroses should get full sun from approximately 9 am to 4 pm. During the cooler months, full-sun should be restricted to only the morning hours to protect the plant from potential frost damage.

pruning

White evening primrose should be pruned just before new spring growth appears, which typically happens from late winter to early spring when daytime temperatures start to warm up. Pruning should be done lightly and judiciously; just remove the oldest, most dead or damaged stems or leaves. Doing too much pruning can interfere with flowering and reduce the overall health of the plant. Deadheading or removing faded flowers can also help encourage future blooms.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

White evening primrose typically starts flowering in April.

Hardiness Map