Missouri Sundrop, What’s Not to Like?

Missouri (Ozark) Sundrop, What’s Not to Like?

Oenothera macrocarpa, also still known as O. missouriensis. Large, bright, four-petaled, canary-yellow (RHS 002A), 3-4” flowers that open new blooms from early summer until felled by frost. A hardy perennial that will bloom the first year from seed. I’ve only grown it for two years so the jury is sequestered, attempting to establish its invasiveness. Many members of this family are invasive, but those tend to be species that also spread via underground runners. Commonly referred to as a member of the evening primrose clan it is of course not a primrose, and it blooms, like most plants, during daylight hours. Native to much of the midwest and eastern states. Prefers full sun (though many of ours do quite well in considerable shade, though perhaps not as floriferous), and a quick-draining soil. Easy from seed. Many of our plants came from a seed capsule I picked early last spring. It was a sodden seed pod but when I opened it I found many of the seeds had already germinated and I simply transferred them to pots to continue their development. So far it is a bright, trouble-free addition to the landscape.

The original plant, now about 2' x 3' but all stems emanating from one root.