Native Plants

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Friday - October 02, 2015

From: Manchaca , TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Invasive Plants, Meadow Gardens, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Invasiveness of Oenothera speciosa?
Answered by: Guy Thompson

QUESTION:

Hello! I received a large package of Oenothera speciosa seeds and would like to plant them this month. I've read elsewhere that they can choke out out other plants and am wondering to what degree this is accurate. I'd like to add them to a raised berm which contains Texas Mountain Laurel, Opuntia, Rosemary, Evergreen Sumac and various wildflowers. In lieu of that, I could plant them in wild space. Thanks for your insights.

ANSWER:

Guy

Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose) should not interfere with the plants that you mentioned, except possibly for the "various wildflowers". Evening primrose can sprall and form a fairly dense and spectacular mat in the spring. After they finish blooming the foliage tends to die back or can be cut back to accommodate other flowers. Being perennials, they will reappear next spring.

For a nice display, I would recommend planting the seeds in patches on your berm so that they will give masses of color when in bloom. Intersperse the other low-growing wildflowers between the primrose patches or plant later-blooming species among the primoses.

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