Perennial evening primrose (flower): planting and care

Evening primrose flower is widely used in garden and landscape design. However, many gardeners are not familiar enough with the features of this flower. In order to be able to fully use it, you need to learn more about its varieties and cultivation features.

Evening primrose legends and other names

Evening primrose is a flower that grows wild in Central America and Europe. Enotera belongs to the Cyprus family. The genus Oenothéra itself includes over a hundred species. Among them there are both one- and two-year, and perennial varieties.

Evening primrose shrub

The name comes from the Greek words "oinos" and "ther", which in translation, respectively, mean "wine" and "wild beast". This name comes from a belief associated with the miraculous power of this plant. It is believed that if a wild animal sniffs a plant soaked in wine, this will make it tame.

Interestingly, evening primrose has several names: "Night candle", "Night primrose", "Evening star", "Evening color", "Yellow moon", "Summer star". Perhaps the reason for this is due to the fact that after sunset the evening primrose flowers open one after the other. Looking at them, one can liken flowers to a garland glowing in the dark.

Stems in various species can be both erect and creeping. Their length can range from 20 centimeters to two meters. Leaves are lobular or oval-elongated. The leaves and stems are pubescent.

Depending on the varieties of perennials, flowers can have different colors and are:

• white,
• pink,
• reddish,
• blue,
• bright yellow.

Typical flowering times are at night or during bad weather. However, in some varieties, flowering occurs throughout the day.

Each flower opens only once. After it fades, a box with seeds is formed in its place, of which there are up to 3000 pieces. They retain their germination well for four years.

Types and varieties

Below is a short description of the most popular species and varieties of the Donkey.

• Evening primrose Oenothera odorata

This flower is often grown in shady corners of gardens and parks. It grows to a height of 1 meter.

The yellow flowers create a pleasant and distinct scent.

This variety blooms during the daytime.

• Evening primrose Oenothera tetragona

This plant has straight stems. They can reach 70 centimeters in height. The oval-colored foliage has a blue-green color. In the thyroid inflorescences, yellow flowers are arranged in groups. Flowering begins in June and lasts until the end of August.

• Enotera Drummond Oenothera drummondii

This species is biennial. It grows up to 80 centimeters. The leaves are light green in color. The diameter of the flower is 7 centimeters. Evening flowering begins in early June and ends with the onset of frost.

• Evening primrose multicolored Oenothera versicolor

This variety is biennial. The flower can grow up to one and a half meters in height.

The flowers are yellow-reddish in color. The plant has short, reddish stems and dark orange flowers that bloom in mid-summer.

• Evening primrose beautiful Oenothera speciosa

Enotera Orchidnaya in one year creates several shoots from 20 to 60 centimeters high. It looks like an openwork pillow of leaves, strewn with cupped flowers that have a white or pink color.

Enotera pink blooms from July to mid-August. This species requires shelter for the winter. To do this, you can dig it out of the ground and place it indoors during the winter period.

• Evening primrose biennial Oenothera biennis

This type is very popular. The flower grows two-meter erect stems. The shrub is covered with lanceolate leaves up to 20 centimeters long.

This evening primrose is yellow, its large flowers have a lemon hue. Flowering time begins in June and ends in October.

Especially popular is the Onothera Biennis or Vechernyaya Zarya variety. Its height is 90 centimeters, and the flowers are golden with a reddish tint.

This variety is not suitable for growing in cold climates.

The roots of the evening primrose

• Common evening primrose Oenothera fruticosa

The variety is considered the most unpretentious. Its height is 120 centimeters.

The stems of this shrub are powerful and branched. The flowers are golden in color and have a pleasant aroma.

The foliage of the evening primrose Lamarck is small and oval-elongated. It grows forming a dense crown. In summer, the leaves have a dark green color. In autumn, a crimson hue appears on them.

• Evening primrose Missouri yellow Oenothera missouriensis

In this creeping species, the stems are lodging. The flowers look like a bowl with a diameter of 10 centimeters. They are golden yellow in color.

This type includes the Solveig variety. When flowering is intense, a faint citrus-like scent can be detected.

Flowering begins in mid-June and until the first frost occurs.

• Evening primrose Oenothera acaulis

This plant has practically no stems visible. With the onset of darkness, it is covered with beautiful and rarely located flowers. They emerge from a rosette consisting of lanceolate leaves.

This evening primrose species blooms from late June to early September. This variety is unpretentious in care and has a good winter hardiness parameter.

Beneficial features

The perennial donkey has a number of useful properties related to various fields of use.

Medicine

This plant is used in medicine to create medicines. For this purpose, you can use the seeds and roots of bush evening primrose. You can use the oil made from them. It is considered an effective remedy for eczema, can help with allergic reactions, help blood vessels to increase the tone of the walls, and can normalize blood cholesterol levels.

For women, this drug can improve well-being when critical days come. The oil allows you to care for the skin, has a rejuvenating effect, and can improve the elasticity of the skin.

It is allowed to use crushed plant seeds instead of oil. They are used for the same symptoms. For treatment, take a teaspoon two or three times a day. If it is necessary to engage in the prevention of these diseases, then half a teaspoon, which is taken daily, is enough.

The roots, which are collected from annual plants, have healing power. It is possible to take aerial parts from two-year-olds The infusions that can be prepared from them are effective in the treatment of kidney stones, diarrhea, cough, asthma. This composition helps to normalize the body's work.It is useful for the stomach, spleen, liver, has a relaxing effect on the heart muscle in the presence of neuralgia.

Cooking

The roots contain a large amount of vitamin C. They are rich in insulin, starch. If dug up in early spring, they can be used in salads.

Enotera Missouri

Evening primrose in landscaping or landscape design

The donkey is often used as a contrasting element. If we are talking about tall plants, then they will look spectacular in the background, and undersized ones in the foreground.

Enotera has found application for itself on alpine slides, terraces, when decorating borders, in quadrangular flower beds.

When evening primrose is planted in a flower bed, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the particular variety. Some plants are able to grow quickly, others practically do not do it at all. In some cases there is a powerful root system, in other evening primrose species it is relatively small.

When deciding which type of evening primrose to use, you need to take into account its characteristics so that it can bloom and get along with other plants in the flowerbed.

For example, when planting a tall plant, it is recommended to cut off the side shoots so that it looks neater.

When it blooms, it goes well with bell, peony, veronica, ageratum and some other plant species.

Evening primrose breeding methods

First of all, the following knowledge will come in handy:

• During seed propagation, leaf rosettes are formed in the first year. The plant begins to bloom after another year.
• To create seedlings, it is convenient to plant plants in February in a greenhouse. In this case, the seeds do not need to be buried. When growing, provide regular watering and a temperature equal to 20 degrees of heat. In May, the seedlings should be ready. It is planted in open ground. Flowering is expected to occur within the first year of plant growth.
• The plant can be propagated by division. In this case, one of the shoots is separated along with a piece of root. Then they transplant it to a new place. The method is not popular.

When planting seedlings, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between the bushes is at least half a meter. When planting, you need to supply the plant with top dressing.

Evening primrose in the flowerbed

Evening primrose from seeds at home

It is necessary to soak the seeds in the stimulating solution for several hours. To do this, you can, for example, use Kornevin. After that, they start growing seedlings.

It is necessary to prepare the soil - it is made from a mixture of sand, peat and turf. They put seeds there and provide watering. Over time, sprouts appear, which are planted. For this purpose, you can use round or four-sided peat pots.

Evening primrose seeds are very small. Therefore, they are not placed in separate pits. And mixed with the soil. In this case, it is enough to make a deepening of 5 millimeters. When they begin to sprout, thinning is performed.

It is necessary to provide the sprouts with regular watering and moderate heat. High humidity is obtained by covering the greenhouse with a film. Airing is necessary every two days.

After that, the seedlings are planted in open ground.

Choosing a seat for landing

This flower prefers to have good lighting. It is insensitive to the composition of the soil - it will grow well on almost any land.

However, it is better to add a certain amount of humus. For 1 sq. meter will need 2.5 kilograms. Then the site is carefully dug up.A few hours before planting, the soil is watered.

Care

Planting and caring for perennial evening primrose is not difficult, but some rules must be followed.

Fig. 5 Evening Primrose

• Top dressing and fertilization

Evening primrose does not need regular feeding. However, if you apply complex fertilizer once or twice a season, it will help the plant grow well.

• Watering rules

Regular and abundant watering is not required. However, with the onset of hot and dry weather, it is necessary to support the plant and additionally supply it with moisture.

It should be remembered that stagnant moisture in the roots can cause rotting.

• Rejuvenation and transplant

Since the shrub evening primrose grows well, after a few years old shoots remain in the center, and young shoots around the edges. In order for the plant to retain its decorative appearance, it is recommended to transplant by dividing the bush.

• Pruning evening primrose and preparing for winter

Most evening primrose species are able to tolerate winter normally. However, it will not be superfluous to help them by covering the plants from frost.

A simple and effective way is to root the shoots before the onset of winter. After that, the roots must be sprinkled with sawdust and dry foliage.

Diseases and pests of primrose

If you care according to the rules, then the chances that the evening primrose will get sick or be attacked by insect pests is close to zero.

In practice, almost no one creates ideal conditions, so there are fungal diseases or aphid attacks. In the first case, the likely cause is waterlogging. In order to cure the plant, it is necessary to remove the part infected with the fungus.

This plant not only blooms in an original way, but also has a special beauty, and can also help improve health and at the same time is good for food. Of course, modern flower lovers are unlikely to eat such a beautiful specimen, but no one forbids admiring them.