Oenothera macrocarpa (Missouri evening primrose)

After the Rain, Sunshine

Posted on by Ann Mackay

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During a recent break between rain showers, I went into the garden to take as many photos as I could of the raindrop-adorned plants. These evening primroses stood out as looking particularly sunny after a grey day. This one is Oenothera macrocarpa (Missouri evening primrose), which is quite different to the tall evening primroses that also grow here.

The biggest difference between this and the other evening primrose in our garden (which I believe is Oenothera stricta ‘Sulphurea’) is the growth habit. The Missouri evening primrose is an easy neighbour for the other plants in the border, spreading slowly on low, lax stems. It causes no problems for the other plants around it. ‘Sulphurea’, on the other hand, can be a bit of a thug because it can self-seed in such great numbers that it blocks light from the other plants beside it.

I made the mistake of letting many of Sulphurea’s seedlings remain in an area where they have now created a screen that hides the neighbouring shorter plants. Oops! They’ll have to be removed and I’ll spread the seed from them in a semi-wild area where the other plants are tall enough to compete.

Meanwhile, the Missouri evening primrose that you see here is behaving beautifully, so I’m likely to plant more of this one. Then there will be plenty of zingy yellow flowers to brighten the days when the sun is sulking behind clouds.

Oenothera macrocarpa (Missouri evening primrose)
Oenothera macrocarpa (Missouri evening primrose) is providing a colourful shelter for an ant.
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Published by Ann Mackay

Photographer, mixed-media art adventurer and completely daft about plants.......

22 thoughts on “After the Rain, Sunshine”

  1. Despite the common name Missouri evening primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa is native in central Texas as well, including my county. Another vernacular name for it is fluttermill, based on the seed capsules, I believe. It’s hard to beat the flowers’ blast of bright yellow.

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      1. Here’s what Ellen D. Schulz wrote in her 1928 book Texas Wild Flowers: “children use the larger, 4-winged seed pods for water-wheels, by running a wire through the axis and placing them in running water.” She agreed with you: “The gorgeous, golden blossoms make an effective addition to any rock garden.”

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  2. Oenothera macrocarpa is native here, although it’s limited to the central part of the state. It is beautiful, and you’re right that its sunny appearance (like so many of these primroses) makes it a wonderful addition to the garden or landscape. I smiled at the little ant in the center of this one; it’s lagniappe!

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    1. I hadn’t heard of Peruvian primroses before so had to satisfy my curiosity by Googling the plant. Apparently it’s in the Onagraceae (evening primrose) family, so they must be pretty closely related. However, our common primrose (Primula vulgaris) is in a different family, the Primulaceae. 🙂

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