Oenothera caespitosa      
White primrose    
Onagraceae Family     

Form: low-mounding clump
Seasonality: perennial, evergreen in warm climates, may be deciduous in cold regions
Size: 1-2ft high spreading to 2ft wide; moderate growth rate Leaves: green, narrow, lance-shaped, scalloped margin, hairy, to 6in long by 1in wide;
Flowers: white night-blooming flowers; solitary on thin stem, 4in across; open for one night only, turning pink as they fade; heaviest bloom in spring and early summer

Oenothera caespitosa

Fruit: seed capsule, 1in long
Stems/Trunks: none; leaves grow from central rosette
Range/Origin: western US
Hardiness: may freeze to ground but re-growth is rapid

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

• seasonal color
• nectar source for nocturnal animals
• good in mixed xeriscape plantings

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exposure: full sun
• Water: weekly during growing season, monthly during winter
• Soil: any well-drained
• Propagation: reseeds easily; clump divisions
• Maintenance: low to none; remove frost-damaged foliage in spring; may be unattractive in winter

Research by Master Gardener Toni Moore

NOTES:

best planted where it can be seen in evenings or early mornings, since the flowers are nocturnal

return to common name index				return to Botanical name index
	browse by common name				browse by botanical name

This page was first created March 14, 2006 and last modified March 14, 2006.

---

Web page design and photographs by Toni Moore, Master Gardener
email to: tmoore1@flash.net

© 2006 Arizona Board of Regents. All contents copyrighted. All rights reserved.