Tufted Evening Primrose

Tufted Evening Primrose, with the long floral tube.

Tufted Evening Primroses (Oenothera caespitosa) have beautiful, showy flowers. The flowers are big (up to 4.5 inches in diameter and white. The petals have a notch in them, making them appear heart shaped. They have a long floral tube that holds the petals above the base of the flower. Nectar collects and the base of the tube where "long-tongued" visitors can collect it. The blooms turn light pink as they age.  

The leaves are usually toothed and tend to be low to the ground. The pollen is sticky and copious, when you walk through an area with these flowers you will often find that your shoes dusted in yellow pollen. As is usual with evening primroses, the tufted evening primrose flowers open in the evening to attract night pollinators such as hawk moths and other moths. 

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