Common Evening Primrose plant profile
Oenothera biennis
A biennial flower for full sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Common Evening Primrose
Common evening primrose is a biennial: NC State describes a basal rosette the first year, a flowering stem the second year (blooming summer to fall, June to September), and easy naturalizing by self-seeding. No explicit sowing date is given, so a spring band is approximate.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Common Evening Primrose in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun
- Lifecycle
- Biennial
Common problems
Watch for these
Also watch for: aggressive reseeding, poor drainage.
Next steps
Continue with Common Evening Primrose
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose)
NC State Extension, North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.