Oenothera biennis

evening primrose

• Position: full sun
• Soil: poor to moderately-fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Evening primroses are prized for their ephemeral flowers that open at night and fade by dawn, and for their delicate fragrance that fills the air at dusk. The bowl-shaped, pale yellow flowers which appear on tall spikes from June to September seem to glow as the light fades and age to dark golden-yellow. They are happiest in a sunny, well-drained border or wildlife garden, and as the name suggests, are biennial. The flowers are an important source of nectar for bees and other insects and the seeds are used commerically for making evening primrose oil.
  
  
• Garden care: Protect the young foliage from slug damage using beer traps or environmentally-friendly slug pellets.
  
  
  • Eventual Height: 1.5m
  • Eventual Spread: 0.6m
  Oenothera biennis - evening primrose Ephemeral, yellow flowers at dusk and heady fragrance