Oenothera lindheimeri
Evening-primrose
Common names: Prairie evening-primrose
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Pot size
- from 10 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Jun–Oct
- Hardiness
- Hardy with protection
Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Prairie Evening-primrose (Oenothera lindheimeri) is native to the North American prairies and produces a nearly weightless display of white and pink flowers from June until the first frost. Its slender, widely branched stems sway in the slightest breeze, earning it the nickname "butterfly magnet." Cultivars such as "Siskiyou Pink" offer more intense color, while the wild form blooms a delicate white to pale pink. It is especially striking as a bedding, container, or rock garden plant against dark backgrounds or when paired with grasses.
Care instructions
Plant in full sun in a warm location on well‑drained, somewhat sandy or loamy soil; avoid waterlogged conditions. Water only during extended dry spells, and apply deeply rather than frequently. Prune spent shoots in early spring (late March to early April) to encourage bushy regrowth; leave stems in place in autumn for winter protection. A mulch layer of leaf litter or pine needles over the root zone helps through winter. On heavy, compacted soils, add sand or gravel before planting to improve drainage.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringJun–Oct
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, sandy, lean, dry
Gaura likes it lean and free-draining; it will not forgive heavy, waterlogged soils. Sandy to gravelly soil with few nutrients is ideal, and a lean bed makes it grow more compact and sturdier than a richly fed one. A sunny, warm spot with good drainage matters more than the exact nutrient supply.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding wild perennial, gaura needs almost no feeding. A thin dressing of compost in spring is entirely sufficient; more would only encourage soft, floppy shoots. On lean, sandy soils you can leave it completely unfed, and it will even flower more reliably.
Overwintering
In mild areas and on free-draining soil, gaura usually gets through the winter outdoors without trouble. Do not cut the shoots back too hard in autumn; the old foliage protects the heart of the plant from frost. In harsh areas or on heavy soil, a loose mulch layer of brushwood helps as well; waterlogging around the roots is the greater danger here, more than the cold itself.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Division
- Cuttings
The easiest way to propagate gaura is by sowing, directly outdoors from mid-May · week 20 or indoors on a windowsill from March. Older clumps can be divided in spring, which also keeps the plant young and vigorous. Cuttings from non-flowering shoots in early summer also take reliably if you let them root in a bright, warm place. Self-seeding often happens on its own with this species, and you will often find small seedlings near the parent plant.
For your garden
Grow Evening-primrose yourself
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