Oenothera
evening-primrose, gaura, oenothera
Synonyms:
Gaura [HC]
8 species
3 subspecies and varieties
3 subspecies and varieties
Show only taxa with photos
Order by:
Scientific name
Common name
Display as:
Oenothera biennis – King's-cureall, common evening primrose
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Meadows and stream banks, from the plains to the lower mountains, typically where disturbed.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Biennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Meadows and stream banks, from the plains to the lower mountains, typically where disturbed.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Biennial
Oenothera cespitosa
Distribution: Occuring sporadically throughout central and eastern Washington; widespread throughout much of western U.S. and central Canada.
Habitat: Talus slopes, road cuts, and dry hills.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occuring sporadically throughout central and eastern Washington; widespread throughout much of western U.S. and central Canada.
Habitat: Talus slopes, road cuts, and dry hills.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. cespitosa – butte primrose, fragrant evening primrose, rock rose
• ssp. marginata – fragrant evening-primrose
Oenothera curtiflora – small-flowered gaura, velvet weed, velvetweed
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Open, sandy, rocky, often disturbed places.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Open, sandy, rocky, often disturbed places.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Oenothera elata – Hooker's evening primrose
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and southern Great Plains in the U.S.
Habitat: Sagebrush hills to mid elevations in the mountains, generally where moist.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and southern Great Plains in the U.S.
Habitat: Sagebrush hills to mid elevations in the mountains, generally where moist.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Oenothera flava – long-tubed evening primrose
Distribution: Known historically in Washington from south-central part of the state; Saskatchewan to Mexico, west to Idaho and California.
Habitat: Hard-packed soil in swales or around vernal pools in the plains and lower foothills.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Known historically in Washington from south-central part of the state; Saskatchewan to Mexico, west to Idaho and California.
Habitat: Hard-packed soil in swales or around vernal pools in the plains and lower foothills.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Oenothera glazioviana – red-sepal evening-primrose
Distribution: Occasional garden escape west of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia south to California.
Habitat: Disturbed soil.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Biennial
Distribution: Occasional garden escape west of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia south to California.
Habitat: Disturbed soil.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Biennial
Oenothera pallida – pale evening-primrose
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to Arizona, east to the Rocky Mountains and Texas.
Habitat: Dry, sandy or gravelly soil, commonly on dunes at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to Arizona, east to the Rocky Mountains and Texas.
Habitat: Dry, sandy or gravelly soil, commonly on dunes at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
• ssp. pallida – pale evening primrose
Oenothera suffrutescens – scarlet beeblossom
Distribution: Reported from Bingen, Washington - unclear as to whether truly native or a garden escape; chiefly east of the Rockies, but crossing into western Montana.
Habitat: Dry, open slopes, chiefly in the sagebrush area.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Reported from Bingen, Washington - unclear as to whether truly native or a garden escape; chiefly east of the Rockies, but crossing into western Montana.
Habitat: Dry, open slopes, chiefly in the sagebrush area.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial
