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Oenothera macrocarpa

 
Oenothera macrocarpa
Missouri evening primrose
Oenothera macrocarpa

Synonym(s) Oenothera missouriensis
Common name Missouri evening primrose
Family onagraceae
Life cycle perennial (Z3-7)
Flowers yellow (summer)
Size 12"
Light sun
Cultural notes ordinary garden soil (drought-tolerant)
From seed germinate at room temperature
detailed seed-starting info below

Large yellow flowers each open for a day. The Kemper portrait linked below describes O. macrocarpa as a sprawling plant, which makes me believe ours is probably not quite the same thing: the ones growing in our garden grow strongly upright, with long slender leaves unlike those of most other evening primroses. The burgundy buds are quite ornamental in their own right.
Years after growing them in Pennsylvania, I acquired a new specimen in Texas, which was rather different in appearance (although still not 'sprawling') – see photos below.

Missouri evening primrose
Even though the flowers last only a day in their yellow form, the spent flowers, reminding me of orange handkerchiefs, lend a touch of Dr Seuss sensibility
Oenothera macrocarpa
Missouri evening primrose
Texas
Oenothera macrocarpa
Texas

In our garden, this plant grows in the following area: waterfall pondside

About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Oenothera macrocarpa


Some particularly helpful links to other websites


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Seed-starting details for this plant

  1. Seed from '04 trade. Baggy 70F (45%G, 6-24d). Exposure to light after 24d did not increase germination.


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