Fauna
Plant

Common Evening-primrose

Oenothera biennis

Also known as Evening Primrose, Weedy Evening Primrose, German Rampion, Kings Cure-All

Common evening-primrose grows as a low rosette of leaves in its first year before shooting up a tall flowering stalk in its second summer. Its bright yellow blossoms open rapidly near dusk to attract night-flying hawkmoths, releasing a sweet fragrance into the evening air. Indigenous peoples traditionally used various parts of the plant for traditional remedies, and today its seeds are commercially harvested for essential fatty acids.

BiennialNight-BloomingYellow Flowers
Common Evening-primrose reference1 / 7
(c) Tom Pollard, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tom Pollard · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Sphinx Moth Caterpillars
  • Goldfinches
  • Japanese Beetles
ThreatsHabitat conversion and agricultural herbicide application
HabitatsFields, roadsides, disturbed ground, prairies, and open woodlands
Life span2 years (Biennial)
Classification
  1. OrderMyrtales
  2. FamilyOnagraceae
  3. GenusOenothera
  4. SpeciesOenothera biennis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Night Observation: Visit patches at dusk or on cloudy days to watch bright yellow four-petaled flowers pop open in real time.
  • Spotting Pollinators: Bring a flashlight after dark to see hawkmoths and sphinx moths sipping nectar from the deep floral tubes.
  • Identification Cue: Look for a rosette of basal leaves in the first year followed by a tall, leafy flowering stalk in the second year.
Related species
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