Oenothera (Evening Primrose) Seeds
Oenothera (Evening Primrose) is a hardy perennial with fragrant flowers in shades of yellow to reddish-orange.
Start oenothera seeds indoors 8 weeks before the last frost date. Barely cover the seeds with soil. Full sun. Some species require cold-moist stratification .
Oenothera missouriensis is a native wildflower with lightly fragrant , lemon-yellow flowers that bloom from May to August. The large flowers are 3-4" across. They attract night-flying sphinx moths. Hardy in zones 4-9.
Oenothera missouriensis goes well with many other perennials in the summer garden, especially penstemon . It's shown here with Campanula persicifolia .
Oeonothera odorata 'Lemon Sunset' has 4" wide, light yellow flowers that fade to orange and pink. The flowers are sweetly fragrant . Hardy in zones 5-10.
Evening Primrose 'Lemon Sunset' blooms from June to August, and it blooms the
first year
from seed if started early indoors. The tall, airy plants add height to the garden. Also known as Oenothera longifolia 'Apricot Delight'.
Oeonothera versicolor 'Sunset Boulevard' produces lots of 2" wide flowers in June and July. The flowers change from tangerine orange to red as they mature.
Evening Primrose 'Sunset Boulevard' blooms the first year from seed if started early indoors, so it can be grown as an annual in regions where it's not hardy. It is drought tolerant and deer resistant . Hardy in zones 5-10.