oishii
Full Member
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Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:35 am

Another yellow flower- Evening primrose, perhaps?

Hi,

Not sure how these pretty little flowers got introduced into my garden, but I've been spreading them around because I think they add a nice cheery touch of yellow (and pink) and they don't seem very particular about where they grow.

I just have a bit of a problem identifying them. They look like pictures I've seen of the evening primrose... but! they don't exactly fit the descriptions I've read. They don't open in the evening and I haven't noticed a particular fragrance. In fact, they open first thing in the morning and seem to welcome the sun all day. Both the pink and yellow varieties display bright cups of colour all day which would not be fitting with an evening primrose. Here is a picture of the flowers in question.

[img]https://unikyu.com/UY/images/fwr2007/isitevenprimrose.jpg[/img]

I understand that there are many varieties of primrose. The pink flowers have thin spiny greyish leaves (reminiscent of those of a buttercup).

Could they be buttercup? Or are they just evening primrose? :?:

Thanks for any feedback you may have to offer.

wingdesigner
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Location: Michigan--LP(troll)

The pinks do look more like primrose flowers, and the yellows lean more toward buttercup family, but there are better eyes out there than mine. Be patient--"the answers will come".

Happy Gardening.

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Jess
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Location: England

Wing did you manage to look at the picture? I cannot open it. It appears as a red cross. It does sound like Evening Primrose but would be nice to see it!

Ok ignore that! When I posted the pics appeared.
Not all E.P's flower at night and I think the one you have is Oenothera fruticosa (Sundrops).
The lilac one may be Oenothera speciosa Nutt or Oenothera berlandieri 'Siskiyou' (Mexican E.P.) both are shorter lilac forms. Nutt tends to be paler and sometimes fades to white.

oishii
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Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:35 am

You were right about the patience, Wing... deffo a requirement in gardening :D and thank you for your input.
Jess wrote: Not all E.P's flower at night and I think the one you have is Oenothera fruticosa (Sundrops).
The lilac one may be Oenothera speciosa Nutt or Oenothera berlandieri 'Siskiyou' (Mexican E.P.) both are shorter lilac forms. Nutt tends to be paler and sometimes fades to white.
Big thanks to you, Jess! Yes, your suggestions answered my concern about the night flowering. I've read a little more about the varieties you mentioned and I do seem to have 'sundrops' and 'pinkladies' colouring my yard.

Will leave links to two sites that describe these flowers for others:

[url=https://www.botany.wisc.edu/garden/db/speciesdetail.asp?genus=Oenothera&species=fruticosa]Oenothera fruticosa (sundrop)[/url]

-and-

[url=https://wildflower.utexas.edu/plants/result.php?id_plant=OESP2]Oenothera speciosa Nutt. (pinkladies)[/url]



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