FNPS Plant Database

Oenothera laciniata

Cutleaf evening-primrose
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS
  • Photo by: Mark Hutchinson, Hernando Chapter, FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Cutleaf evening-primrose

Synonym(s):

Raimannia laciniata

Genus species:

Oenothera laciniata

Family:

Onagraceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

4 to 18 inches ft tall by 2 to 5 ft. ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

green

Phenology:

winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Can be grown as a groundcover but probably best welcomed into a multi-species planting where its flowers bring color to an planting of low greenery.

Considerations:

This species can be weedy.

Availability:

Specialty Provider

Propagation:

By root division and seed.
Following fertilization, the ovary of the flower will morph into a capsule. As the seeds mature, the capsule will dry-out and eventually split, releasing the seeds. Readily self-seeds, the seeds can remain viable for many years.
Seeds available at Native American Seed (seedsource.com)

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Not wet but not extremely dry -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

neutral to calcareous

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds

Attracts native bees, butterflies and moths.  Especially interesting to native bees.

Bobwhite, mourning dove and gold finches feed on the seeds

Native Habitats:

Cutleaf evening-primrose is found most often in sandy and limerock based soils, and favors disturbed areas.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The seeds and leaves of this plant used for food and medicinal applications by the Cherokee.

General Comments:

As the name infers, the flowers of this plant open at night. Once the sun starts coming up, the flowers will begin to wilt. By night fall the flowers are spent.

Citations:

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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