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Evening primrose perennial among the people is familiar under a different name: night primrose or night violet. And the botanical name of the plant is the donkey. Currently, the culture is known among gardeners as a curiosity that opens buds in the evening.
Description
On the site, only perennial or biennial evening primrose is predominantly grown. Annual flowers are not popular with gardeners. It is difficult to distinguish them in appearance, but the perennial evening primrose blooms most often in the second year after planting, and has many varieties. The annual is sown in the ground in order to admire the flowers until late autumn: the culture is characterized by frost resistance.
In landscape designs and on plots, perennial evening primrose is preferred: it quickly spreads by self-sowing
Outwardly, the culture looks like a shrub, whose height varies from 25 to 130 cm, with erect stems. The leaves are simple in shape, reach a length of 25 cm. Most varieties have yellow flowers, but there are also representatives with pink, white or blue petals.
Varieties and types of perennial evening primrose
When choosing a variety, one should rely on the characteristics of the plant: frost resistance, features of agricultural technology. An analysis of your site is also required: soil composition, illumination. To achieve maximum aesthetics, several types and varieties of crops can be placed on the flower beds.
Shrub
This plant originates in North America, where it has been grown since the age of 13. The shrub primrose (Oenothere fruticosa) reaches a height of 30-70 cm, is distinguished by a powerful root system and rigid straight stems, slightly branching upwards. The decoration of a perennial culture is yellow buds up to 4-5 cm in diameter, collected in groups. They bloom in June.
In the summer, the foliage of evening primrose is a shrubby green color, but closer to autumn it acquires a reddish tint.
Missouri
Most often, this variety is called large-fruited. The perennial Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera missouriensis) is a stunted plant reaching a height of 30 cm. The flowers of the culture are yellow or lemon-colored, opening in the evening. They are presented in the form of large four-petalled buds, up to 10-12 cm each, with numerous stamens.
Missouri evening primrose is a good honey plant, so it can be planted near beehives
The culture has beautiful not only flowers, but also leaves: lanceolate or oval in shape, large in size with jagged edges and light veins.
Biennial (Night Candle)
And although most people, when they see photos of flowers, think that they are admiring perennial evening primrose, there is also a biennial in this family.
You need to pay attention to the leaves: they are rosette type, appear after flowering. During this period, they can be separated from the mother shrub and seated. The leaves are long, scattered along the stem, outwardly resembling dandelion shoots.
Most often, the biennial can be found in natural conditions in meadows and fields, on the outskirts of pine forests. The plant prefers sunny and dry places. The shrub can reach 150 cm, its stem is often branched.
In the second year after sowing, a peduncle appears on the plant, whose height can reach 100 cm. Buds can be admired from mid-summer to September-October, when yellow flowers with shiny petals form on the tops of the shoots. The evening primrose reaches 4-6 cm in diameter, has the appearance of a rosette, which opens in the evening, begins to smell very pleasant, and fades in the morning. Nearby, another bud blooms at sunset.
The name “night candle” of evening primrose was due to the fact that its petals reflect moonlight.
Among the varieties of this variety, Pinocchio is known, whose buds in diameter reach 4,5 cm. The shoots are straight, grow up to 120 cm in height. It is possible to observe flowering throughout the season, until frost.
In the Pinocchio variety, buds form in the second year after planting, so it is best to cover the plant for the winter.
Beautiful
Perhaps the cultivation of more unusual varieties of culture. The perennial beautiful evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) got its name from the shade of the petals: pinkish with distinct veins. The shrub reaches 1,5 m in height, is demanding on the conditions of care: it loves dry sunny places.
One of the popular varieties is the Evening Rose Primrose (Pink Evening Primrose). Its flowers are white-pink in color, cup-shaped petals. In diameter, the bud reaches 5 cm, exudes a delicate sweetish aroma. The height of the shrub does not exceed 40 cm.
Most often, the Evening Rose variety blooms in the second year of life, but if you use seedlings, you can see the buds this summer
Large-flowered
Among the yellow perennial evening primrose, Missouri and large-flowered are often confused. But unlike the undersized variety of the flower, the latter can reach 1 m in height. In summer, large-flowered evening primrose forms a large number of yellow buds. Each of them exudes a delicate pleasant aroma.
The diameter of a bud in a large-flowered variety of evening primrose can reach 5 cm.
stemless
In the daytime, the leaves are hosta-like in size and appearance. But at night, stemless evening primrose (Oenothera Acaulis) is covered with very beautiful yellow flowers. They appear from rosettes of leaves from June to September.
Evening primrose stemless is characterized by unpretentious care and frost resistance
quadrangular
Oenothera tetragona, depending on conditions, can reach a height of 50-80 cm. It is undemanding to care, although it loves sunny places, it also feels great in partial shade. Four-petalled buds form from June to August.
The quadrangular evening primrose is easily propagated by self-seeding and division, so it can decorate the site in a short time
When perennial evening primrose blooms
The formation of buds occurs in each species at approximately the same time. The flowering of evening primrose begins in June, and ends with the onset of frost. To extend this period as much as possible, it is necessary to properly care for the flower and remove wilted buds in time.
Planting evening primrose perennial
On the site, the plant needs to provide a sunny or semi-shady place. A little shading will not have a strong effect on flowering, but the bush will form fewer buds.
The soil in the flower bed should be light and fertile, well-drained. You need to make sure that all weeds are removed from the ground, and the soil mixture itself has a neutral or slightly acidic environment.
Important! It is required to form a bed taking into account the characteristics of the plant: the flower has a powerful rhizome. Between seedlings there should be a distance of at least 25-40 cm.
The algorithm of work depends on the type of culture:
- A biennial evening primrose is sown in the ground in September or October before the onset of frost, so that the strongest specimens sprout in the spring. After the snow melts, thin out the plants, provide proper conditions.
- Perennial varieties are planted in March or April. When spring sowing the material, it is necessary to freeze it. This is necessary so that the seeds germinate easily. It is necessary to place the material in the beds every 30-50 cm to a depth of 1,5 cm. After sowing, water the bed and ensure proper care.
Perennial evening primrose care
Any plant will match the photo on the Internet only if it is properly looked after. Even unpretentious varieties need weeding, watering and feeding. The stage of preparation for the winter period is obligatory.
Spraying and watering
If it rains regularly, then it is enough to moisten the soil 2-3 times per season. 1 m2 flower beds should account for 2 liters of warm water.
The next day after watering, surface loosening and mulching of the soil is required. In the first months after germination, you need to monitor the weeds. As the root system develops, evening primrose will not give other plants a chance to displace it from the garden.
Additional fertilizing
Although the perennial is unpretentious, it blooms better after fertilizing the soil. During the season it is necessary to make a complete mineral complex for flowers. As an alternative, potassium sulphate mixed with superphosphate is suitable. 1 m2 1 tbsp is required. l. top dressing.
One of the options for fertilizing evening primrose is to dust the soil with wood ash.
Trimming
It is not recommended to remove shoots during the season. Wilted buds or damaged stems are subject to pruning. It is allowed to remove shoots at ground level in the fall for a safe wintering.
Transfer
This perennial has a negative attitude to the transfer to a new place of residence. The powerful root system grows widely and deeply, so it is very difficult to pull it out without damage. An alternative option is to propagate the evening primrose, transplant the young seedling to the right place, and destroy the mother bush.
But if you want to save the plant, you can rejuvenate and plant it. The procedure is carried out every two years. To do this, it is necessary to build a flower bed, transfer part of the earth there from the garden where the bush was located, add wood ash. Divide the rhizome of the evening primrose and plant it in new beds, water it abundantly. Mulch the top soil. Observe the seedling for several days.
The more accurately the rhizome is divided, the higher the chances of a successful perennial transplant
Preparation for winter
Most varieties are cold hardy. Evening primrose beautiful can suffer in very cold or snowless winters, so it is recommended to cover it with spruce branches or material.
Reproduction
Gardeners usually have no problems with an increase in the number of shrubs. In most varieties, reproduction occurs by self-seeding. And more often, the owners are struggling with the culture, trying to limit its spread. If there is a need to propagate the plant, you can sow the seeds in the fall in a flower bed. In the spring, the strongest specimens will sprout.
The second way is the division by rosette ground leaves that appear after flowering. It is enough to disconnect them from the mother bush and plant them in a separate flower bed.
Diseases and pests
The perennial evening primrose grows well on drained soil, it can rot in heavy, constantly wet soil. And although she is not afraid of pests and diseases, aphids can eat very young shoots.
For the destruction of aphids, drugs such as Aktara, Fufanon or Actellik are suitable.
Enotera perennial in landscape design
Before flowering, the shrub looks great on the lawn in single compositions or in a group with astilbes, bluebells or delphiniums. If you plant large varieties, then it is best to arrange lobelia or marigolds, alissum around them.
Most often, the Night Candle is recommended to be used to decorate the background, but the flower will also decorate paths, arbors or rockeries.
Conclusion
The perennial evening primrose is a real find for beginner gardeners who dream of beautiful, unpretentious flowers. It is enough to select a shrub bed with neutral soil, located in a sunny place. With proper care, it will be possible to admire the yellow buds that form a flower “carpet” for more than one year.