Tufted Evening-primrose

Common Name(s):
Tufted Evening-primrose
Evening-primrose
Stemless Primrose
Fragrant Evening Primrose
White Stemless Evening Primrose
Gumbo Lily
Scientific Name:
Oenothera caespitosa Nutt.
Scientific Name Synonyms:
None Known
Symbol:
OECA10
Description:
Life Span: Perennial
Origin: Native
Growth Characteristics: The flowers of tufted evening-primrose open late in the day and turn pink and wilt the following morning. It can grow up to 1 foot tall, is nearly stemless, and grows from a thick taproot. It blooms April-September.
Flowers/Inflorescence: Large white flower with four heart-shaped petals and eight yellow stamens. Flowers can measure up to 3 inches across and have a wonderful fragrance.
Fruits/Seeds: Rough seedpods, about 1 inch long, form soon after flowering.
Leaves: A basal rosette of lance-shaped and toothed leaves, growing up to 12 inches long. The leaves are crinkly, gray-green, and fuzzy.
Stems: Very short
Ecological Adaptions:
Found in pinyon-juniper woodlands and shadscale scrub communities. Common on roadsides, and is often abundant on steep dry slopes and sandy soils. Found at elevations of 2980-9500 feet.
Soils: Well-drained, rocky, sandy soils.
Associated Species: Pinyon pine, Utah juniper, shadscale.
Uses and Management:
Cattle seem to avoid evening-primrose. Young shoots and roots of some evening-primroses are eaten by humans.