Missouri Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa)

A showy Great Plains species with palm-sized yellow flowers! Easternmost wild populations in Illinois and Tennessee. An excellent companion for other short plants that need good drainage, like butterfly milkweed and prairie clovers. Slow to establish due to the large taproot, but very drought tolerant. Can adapt to rich soils (garden conditions) as long as soils are well drained and taller plants are not allowed to crowd them out. Individual flowers only last one day and, since they are pollinated by sphinx moths, they open in the afternoon and remain open through the night.

Light: Full Sun

Soil Moisture: Mesic, Dry Mesic, Dry

Soil Type: Sandy, Gravely

Height: 9”-18”

Bloom Color: Yellow

Bloom Time: May-Aug

Root Type: Taproot

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Little information available. Flowers attract large bees and sphinx moths.