I can't remember a year that I have enjoyed my garden so much. Summer is my favorite season and I will be very sad when it's gone. One special plant has made this year entertaining, at least in the evenings as the sun sets. A pass along plant, or one that is often shared from friend to friend, mother to daughter, Oenothera glazioviana or the red-sepal evening primrose has been flowering for a month and will do so for at least another month. My grandmother grew it, my mother grew it and each of us set lawn chairs around to watch as the flowers unfold. The timing of the flowers is just as the sun sets and I have watched them open around 8:30 only to have to rush outside to watch as they open prior to 8 pm as we approach September. The act of the flowers opening happens in minutes, often seconds. Accept no phone calls, don't leave the chair to weed, just chill and wait.
The word Oenothera comes from the Greek word oinos or "wine" and thera, "to hunt", which translates to wine hunting, a most appropriate name for this particular cultivar. The origins of the name are based on a plant mix-up, apparently another genus resembled oenothera and its roots smelled like wine.
There are about 145 species of oenothera, common names include sundrops, suncups and, evening primrose, not to be confused with primrose or primula, of which they share no relationship. Many are natives of north and south America and many hybridize among themselves, as is the case with this variety. Most are perennial, albeit short lived, Oenothera glazioviana is a biennial, growing for a year, flowering the second and then dying as it drops seed to begin the cycle again.
In summer, the yellow petals are tightly whorled, held by sepals that are often red, hence its common name, the red-sepaled evening primrose. As the pressure of the petals (in their bud stage) builds, the sepals pop back and the flowers open. There is a special cultivar, found by a Tina James, in a Maryland garden. There may even be 2 Tina James cultivars , one with larger flowers and one that opens faster, which is hard to believe (Oenothera glazioviana 'Tina James Miracle').
Pollinated by moths, lured by the luminescent color and lemon fragrance. By morning the flowers begin to fade to a pale orange as they close up tight and fall to the ground the second day. Seed pods form along the stem and the plant takes on a weedy look by summer's end. As a pass along plant, it's best to share seed, commercial sources are far and few between. My advice? Find a yard with a circle of lawn chairs sitting at the edge of a garden and you will have your source.
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