Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous Perennial

Oenothera speciosa

white evening primrose

A herbaceous perennial about 30cm high, with creeping rhizomes, basal rosettes of oblong-lance-shaped to lance-shaped mid-green leaves, 2.5-5cm long, which have large triangular teeth or are pinnatifid, arching stems with slightly smaller leaves, and saucer-shaped flowers, up to 8cm across, which open white in the day and become pale pink in the evening, from early summer to early autumn; it is occasionally invasive

Other common names

pink ladies
Mexican evening primrose

Synonyms

Oenothera childsii
Oenothera speciosa var. childsii

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Onagraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Suckering
Genus: Oenothera can be annuals, biennials or perennials, upright or spreading in habit, with simple or lobed leaves and bowl-shaped, white, yellow or pink flowers over a long period in summer
Name status: Correct
Plant range: USA, Mexico

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in poor to only moderately fertile, very well-drained soil, even stony soil, in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame in early spring, or by division in early spring, or by softwood cuttings of unflowered shoots from late spring to midsummer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Prairie planting
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and aphids

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to leaf spot, powdery mildews and downy mildews; may be susceptible to root rot in rich, wet, heavy soil

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.