Enotera perennial - planting and care. Oenothera Missouri: description, planting and care

Enotera, or, as it is also called, a night candle, is one of amazing plants. There are several varieties, among them the perennial evening primrose Missouri stands out. The golden beauty, like all other species, begins to bloom in the evening and continues throughout the night. By morning, its flowers fade, but new buds appear to replace them, which will open again only in the evening. Today we will tell you about the evening primrose. Planting and caring for a plant have their own nuances, and if you have never encountered this species, but want to decorate your garden with it, we suggest reading this article.

Description of colors

One of yellow varieties evening primrose is called Missouri. This is when flowering, which occurs from June until the first frosts, it exudes a pleasant aroma, citrus notes are guessed in it. The flowers of the Missouri evening primrose are medium, reminiscent of glossy cups, they can be up to four centimeters in diameter, collected in graceful inflorescences with a diameter of about ten centimeters. Gardeners love this variety for its decorative effect. Bushes of yellow evening primrose grow well, they can decorate the entire territory with their lush and abundant flowering.

Place of landing

Evening primrose is a very soil-demanding flowering plant. On any soil, it may grow, but it will not bloom. Special attention should be given to the presence of drainage. Also, the Missouri evening primrose will not develop in hard, heavy soil, it must be stably loosened. So, we will choose the ideal place for planting evening primrose and for its full growth, flowering.

The soil must be ideally permeable, water stagnation in the soil is not allowed, excess moisture is detrimental to the root system. The site where the plant is planned to be planted should be in a well-lit place, but it can be both shade and partial shade. The yellow evening primrose will please with abundant flowering if the soil has all the necessary fertilizers. This undersized variety, they can decorate garden paths and flower beds.

It is recommended to feed the soil even before planting the plant, for this you need nitrophoska and humus. Fertilizers are taken exactly according to the rules: one square meter it is necessary to add two tablespoons of nitrophoska and three kilograms of humus. After that, the soil must be dug up well to a depth of about twenty centimeters, all weed roots should be removed, watered well so that the top dressing starts working.

A perennial evening primrose can be planted in several ways. Planting and care will be described in the following content. If you decide to grow a flower yourself, starting from seeds, then purchase planting material only from a good company.

Sowing seeds

In this way, it is best to plant perennials. Evening primrose Missouri is one of these species, so it is ideal. The seeds of the plant are very small, you must first mix them with big amount sand and land on the prepared site to a depth not exceeding five millimeters.

For the first year, you should not expect flowering, only stems with leaves will appear. The Missouri evening primrose will begin to bloom from the second year of life.

Plant seeds in open ground it is possible only when the earth warms up to +15 degrees, there will be no danger of frost. When shoots appear and get a little stronger, thinning will need to be done.

seedling method

To achieve the flowering of a night candle (Missouri primrose), you need to prepare seedlings. Seeds are planted in cups of peat or filled fertile soil plastic (with good drainage) at the end of February, shoots will appear in the interval from a week to four. Keep the air temperature around 20 degrees, water if necessary. In May, when the seedlings are strong, there is no threat of frost, it can be planted in the garden. Read below for information on how to do it correctly.

The division of the bush

This is the easiest way to propagate and plant Missouri evening primrose flowers in your yard. If your friends have these plants, then ask them for a bush. Dividing a flower is quite simple, the plant must be dug up in spring or autumn along with the root and a clod of earth, lowered into water for safer separation - the root system will be less damaged. It is possible to do without digging a bush, many give side shoots, which can be carefully removed from the soil without damaging the main plant. The evening primrose Missouri tolerates transplanting well, even during flowering.

Landing

Oenothera is original flower, when planting it in the ground, you need to take into account every little thing, because the adaptation of the plant to the new soil depends on it. If you do everything right, you will soon receive beautiful flowers, which at night will decorate your territory.

1. When planting seedlings, prepare the holes, the distance between them should be at least half a meter, as this plant develops rapidly and takes root over a long distance. The holes should be exactly the depth at which the plant grew in pots or in the ground (when dividing a bush or thinning seedlings in open ground).
2. Lay drainage at the bottom, it will perfectly serve as a drain excess moisture regular crushed stone or gravel.
3. Place the seedling in the hole, sprinkle with fertile soil to the level to which it grew in the container or soil, this is very important.
4. After carrying out all these manipulations, water the seedlings.

After planting, do not forget about the proper care of the plant. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the basic rules that must be observed for the active growth and flowering of evening primrose. Complete process will not take you much time and effort, the care is rather primitive, it practically does not differ from what is required to care for other flowering perennials.

Watering

Only young plants need to be irrigated. Adult evening primrose does not tolerate excessive moisture. Stagnation of water can cause root rot, and this can lead to the death of the plant. If there is enough rain in the season, then watering is not required at all.

In the dry season, when the earth is completely dry, it is worth slightly moistening the soil around the bush.

fertilizers

Only a planted plant does not need to be fed all year round. The mixture that was applied to the soil before planting will be enough for him. So next year you need to make compost once a season, it will enhance growth, and when flowering, pamper evening primrose with potassium sulfate and wood ash. The main thing is not to overdo it, it is worth feeding with potassium sulfate strictly according to the instructions, without increasing the dosage.

To appearance was aesthetic, in the morning it is necessary to remove wilted flowers so that they do not spoil the appearance of the plant and do not interfere with new inflorescences.

Soil loosening

The main care for evening primrose is precisely in frequent loosening. This will allow the soil to be more saturated with oxygen, get rid of excessive moisture. In addition, it is necessary to remove weeds, they are able to reduce the growth of evening primrose, although it itself perfectly clogs growing herbs and crops all around. That is why it is not recommended to plant it with other ornamental plants.

Missouri evening primrose should be completely cut off in the fall - to the very root. To protect the roots winter period covering material is needed, spruce paws will also serve perfectly for this.

Pests and their control

When growing evening primrose, you are unlikely to encounter problems such as plant disease or pest attacks. This flower is very resistant to all these undesirable factors. If the rules of care are not followed, or if the season is excessively rainy and moisture stagnates, some fungal diseases, but they are quickly treated with fungicides.

Pests rarely encroach on evening primrose, but they can still notice it. If this happens, treat the plants with insecticides. Some insects will have to be collected by hand, removing from flowers.

By following these simple rules, you will get a beautiful clearing that will be littered every night with

Oenothera - beautiful flowering herbaceous plant from the Cyprus family. It grows mainly in Central America and throughout Europe. There are more than a hundred varieties of this plant - annual and perennial, undersized or tall.

All varieties are characterized by very beautiful, unusual flowering with bright fragrant flowers, mostly yellow or lemon hue. Although there are varieties with inflorescences of pink, white, orange or red. Petals can be lightly striped or plain.

Very interesting evening primrose "Night Candle". Its flowers bloom very quickly at sunset and burn at dusk like candles, giving the garden a mysterious, magical look. It is for this feature that the plant received the name "Night Candle". Although living lights live only one night (by morning the flowers will wither). But, it doesn’t matter, new buds will open the next evening.

The only bad thing is that the bright lights of flowers can be seen only at sunset. But it is good that some varieties bloom during the day when it is cloudy outside, or if they grow in the shade. At proper care, flowering continues from early June until autumn. It should also be noted that Enotera has not only high decorative qualities, but also pronounced healing properties.

How to grow an evening primrose plant in the garden, what kind of flower care, how it looks - we’ll talk about this with you today on the Popular Health website:

In the photo, evening primrose is perennial

Choosing a place for landing evening primrose

To achieve abundant flowering, plant Oenothera on a well-lit, sunny place. In partial shade, flowering will not be as plentiful, and in deep shade it may not bloom at all.

An exception is the fragrant Oenothera flower, which loves shaded areas of the garden. This variety blooms during the day.

The soil

The plant is unpretentious, grows well on the usual garden soil, feels good in moderately sandy. The exception, perhaps, is dense, clayey soil, with a very low content of nutrients.

evening primrose care

Watering:

Although the plant is considered drought tolerant, it is necessary to water the flowers periodically, especially in the absence of rain. It is enough to do this twice a week, in the evening or early morning. When it is very hot outside, increase the amount of watering.

However, do not overwater. If water accumulates at the roots, the plant may die.

top dressing:

In the spring, even before flowering, feed with superphosphate - 1 tbsp per 1 sq.m of land. After the first flowers bloom, apply complex fertilizer for flowering plants, or potassium sulfate - 1 tbsp per 1 sq.m. You can also use wood ash- 2 tablespoons per 1 sq.m.

Pruning and wintering:

In autumn, perennial varieties should be cut at the root, after which lay a layer of compost or peat around. Can also be covered special material for insulation or spruce branches.

Also, spring and autumn are the right time to separate the bushes and
transplanting them to new places.

Evening primrose flower night candle - growing from seeds at home

The beauty evening primrose night candle is perfectly propagated by seeds. Best time for sowing in the soil - late spring or early summer. Evening primrose seeds are very small, so it is recommended to mix them with sand before planting.

Sow the resulting mixture on well-loosened, fertilized, moistened soil, to a depth of 5 mm. Sprinkle with earth on top. After that, moisten the seedlings regularly, but not abundantly. After they grow a little, they need to be thinned out periodically.

When sowing seeds immediately in open ground, you will see flowering only in the second year. Therefore, this method is suitable for two-year-olds and perennial varieties. If this process needs to be reproached, it is better to plant seedlings.

Growing evening primrose for seedlings

Sometime in mid-March, sow the seeds in boxes filled with a moistened mixture of peat and coarse sand. Cover with glass or film. Keep in a warm, bright place with diffused sunlight. After the appearance of the first sprouts, remove the coating.

Moisten crops periodically with a spray bottle.

After the appearance of the first two leaves, dive the seedlings into separate small pots (you can use plastic cups). With the advent of May, young plants can be planted in the ground, at a distance of 25 cm from each other.

Healing properties

Oenothera has long been effectively used in medicine. It has tonic, anti-inflammatory properties. It has a diuretic, astringent effect on the body.

Preparations based on it normalize the functioning of the liver, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, have a positive effect on nervous system reduce the level of bad cholesterol.

A decoction of inflorescences and leaves is used to wash wounds, it is given to children to drink with diarrhea. A decoction of the root is taken orally in the treatment of nephritis. Seed oil is used to normalize the physiological processes of the female body. In particular, it is taken in the treatment of fibrocystic
mastopathy.

In conclusion, we note that evening primrose, the photo of which you can see at the top of this page, goes well with other flowering plants in the garden. Her magical flowers give a bright sunny accent to various flower arrangements. They also look great in bouquets.

Oenothera - unpretentious plant, requires minimal maintenance, so even novice gardeners can grow flowers on the site.

Perennial evening primroses belong to the numerous genus Oslinnikov or Oenothera. Its representatives can be found all over the globe. Many decorative types used in garden decoration are artificially bred.

All varieties are characterized by the presence of brightly colored inflorescences - plain or striped. IN color scheme yellow and white shades predominate, blue and red are less common. Each flower has 4 petals, pistil and 8 stamens.

Popular types of evening primrose and photos of flowers

In total, more than 140 varieties are known in the genus. Some of them can only be grown as annuals, others live for many years. And a species such as the two-year-old Oenothera has a very fleshy nutritious root, which is used in cooking as a vegetable.

It is considered a perennial, but degenerates in a short time. In general, an unpretentious and very elegant plant, but has a low resistance to frost and often freezes out during cold winters. It naturally grows in warm climates in the southern United States.

It begins to bloom in the year of sowing, releasing over 20 shoots. Inflorescences are collected in spikelets of atypical pink and white color. Each flower is shaped like an oriental bowl, has a strong aroma.

A photo. Oenothera is beautiful

Heat-loving perennial native to Chile. We rarely get divorced. As the name implies, this species has no stems, and the leaves form basal rosettes. Only one inflorescence appears in each outlet, which practically lies on the ground.

The flower opens only in the evening, dies in the morning, and a new one takes its place. Wild forms are white in color, cultivated forms are pale yellow. This species is unpretentious, resistant to drought, tolerates frosty winters well. Seeds become viable only after stratification.

Perennial subshrub that grows rapidly, filling large spaces. It came to us from North America with a fairly cold climate. It is considered the most hardy and unpretentious species among evening primrose.

A photo. Evening primrose shrub

Stems reach a height of 70 to 110 cm. Inflorescences are formed at the tops. They are always painted in bright yellow color, bloom in the late afternoon. The diameter does not exceed 6 cm.

Low growing herbaceous perennial. Stems 35–45 cm long rise above the soil. Came to Europe from the Central regions of North America. It differs from other species in a large diameter of flowers and less resistance to adverse living conditions.

Numerous inflorescences are formed at the top of the shoots, practically hiding the green stems and leaves. Painted in yellow with a golden sheen.

A photo. Oenothera Missouri

Planting evening primrose

Most species in one place perennial evening primrose can grow for a very long time, absolutely not requiring additional dressings or any special composition of the soil. Unpretentious plants feel great on any soil with any reaction. The only exceptions are dense and very poor in microelements clay soils.

Location selection

Planting evening primrose should be guided by the illumination. This plant will produce yellow lights of inflorescences only when it is constantly in the bright sun. In partial shade, there will be much fewer flowers, and in the shade you can not wait at all.

ATTENTION! There is a myth that evening primrose flowers bloom in the evening and stay open all night. This is true only in relation to the stemless aspen. The rest bloom as expected, opening inflorescences in the bright morning sun and curling up at night or in cloudy weather.

Sowing seeds and seedlings

Planting material can be purchased at any specialized store. If you sow the seeds directly into the open ground on the street, in the first year you can get only a leaf rosette. And such plants will be able to bloom next summer. Planted in February seedling way seedlings will bloom already in the current summer season.

Enotera planted with seedlings in February, will already give flowers this summer

Before sowing, seeds small as dust are recommended to be mixed with sand and not buried deep. Sowing seeds immediately into the ground and transplanting seedlings is carried out in May, after any threats of cold and frost have passed. Plants are planted in separate holes at a distance of 15 × 25 cm.

evening primrose care

Watering

Evening primroses are considered drought-resistant, but it is vital to water them on time! If you keep the plants in a well-lit area and moisten like cacti once a month, you can get a clearing dried and scorched by the sun without the slightest sign of vegetation.

Therefore, the primrose must be watered at least once a week, especially in the complete absence of rain. Water can be poured under the root or from above from a watering can. On especially hot and dry days, the frequency of watering is increased, preventing the plants from wilting.

IMPORTANT! The assurance that excessive moisture threatens to rot the roots of evening primrose is true only if the plant lives in a swamp, where the earth does not dry out at all.

Plant nutrition

It is necessary to feed with a mixture of phosphate and potassium

In order for the evening primrose to feel great and develop, one top dressing for the entire season is quite enough. During the formation of buds and flowers, it is recommended to add a mixture of phosphate and potassium to the soil. The consumption rate is one dessert spoon of each substance per square meter of plantings.

Pruning evening primrose and preparing for winter

You need to prune the donkey only in the fall. Faded and completely dried stems are cut off completely, preparing the plant for wintering. Then plantings can be covered with coniferous branches or special material if the plants are very young or severe frosts are expected.

Rejuvenation

Perennial evening primrose is able to grow in one area long years. Naturally, over time, plantings degenerate and begin to lose their decorative effect. Old plants become smaller, bloom not so abundantly and for a long time.

To rejuvenate evening primrose, it must be completely dug out of the ground. Seedlings are carefully divided into several parts, trying not to damage the roots, and planted in new areas. The operation can be carried out in September, but it is still better to postpone it to May, so that the evening primrose has time to settle down in a new place.

Evening primrose is propagated by seeds and division of the bush.

Evening primrose reproduces in two ways: by seeds and by dividing the bush into parts. In autumn, ripened seeds can be collected and sown. next spring. They retain their germination and shelf life for about 3 years. It is even easier to purchase seeds at any garden center.

Dividing a bush simultaneously produces several new plants and rejuvenates old ones. It is enough to dig the plant out of the soil and carefully separate the roots. You can simply dig out the young shoots without affecting the adult evening primrose.

Diseases and methods of struggle

Enotera can get sick only if gross mistakes are made in caring for her.

• If you constantly flood the plant or plant it in a wetland with constant stagnation ground water, a fungus can attack the aspen, causing root rot. A diseased plant will lose turgor and will stand withered even after watering. To save the flowers, it is necessary to transplant them to another place and treat them with fungicides such as Rovral, Skora and Fundazol.
• If you do not water the evening primrose on time, it will also lose turgor. The leaves of the plant will droop, hanging down with dull rags. Fixing this problem is very easy! It is enough just to water the donkey.

Pests and how to deal with them

To combat caterpillars, Aktara, Agravertin and other analogues are used.

If there are few tracks, they can simply be assembled by hand. With a large number of larvae, spraying with modern insecticides can be used: Aktara, Agravertin, Biotlin, Avant.

Perennial evening primrose in landscape design

Here full list places where you can use enotera:

• curbs along the tracks;
• rockeries;
• discounts;
• rock gardens;
• front gardens;
• flower beds of any shape;
• garden planters and other containers.

Enotera can fill voids in a flower bed and lawn, be used as a bright spot among green grass, and be used in landscape complexes.

Evening primrose is combined with many plants at the club

Can be combined with most garden plants. True, some types of evening primrose can simply be killed if its reproduction is not controlled. To prevent overgrowth from occupying areas not intended for it, you can dig sheets of iron or slate around the thickets.

The ideal neighbors of evening primrose are:

• ageratums;
• lobelia;
• garden bells;
• veronica;
• petunias;
• Snapdragon;
• lavaters;
• astilbe.

These plants create a contrast with the dark leaves and bright yellow flowers of the primrose, emphasizing their beauty and originality.

It will be useful and interesting to watch the video material on this flower We wish you a pleasant viewing.

• Landing: sowing annual seeds in the ground - before winter or in late April-early May. Sowing biennial seeds for seedlings - in late February or early March, transplanting seedlings into open ground - in May.
• Bloom: from June to September.
• Lighting: bright sunlight or penumbra.
• The soil: any, except for too wet and swampy. Fertilize the soil before sowing.
• Watering: while the plant takes root - once a week, and then moisturizing is required only during a prolonged drought.
• Top dressing: in spring - with a weak solution of mullein on the leaves, during flowering - with a liquid mineral complex under the root.
• Reproduction: dividing the bush, seeds.
• Diseases: root rot.
• Pests: the plant is stable.
• Properties: the plant has medicinal properties.

Read more about cultivation below.

Evening flower - description

Evening primroses are annual, biennial or perennial rhizomatous plants, reaching a height of 30 to 120 cm. The stems of donkeys are stiffly pubescent, straight or creeping. The alternate leaves can be simple, serrated, entire, pinnately dissected, or lobed. White, yellow, pink, purple, blue or red flowers 7-8 cm in diameter, usually very fragrant, located in the axils of the leaves singly, in a bunch or form a long brush.

Each flower blooms at sunset and only for one day, after which it fades. In rainy or cloudy weather, the flowers remain open all day, and in sunny weather they close by noon, but bees, flies and other insects manage to pollinate them before lunch. Flowering evening primrose lasts from June to September.

The fruit of the aspen is a box in which up to 3000 seeds ripen.

Planting evening primrose

It is better to grow evening primrose in the sun, although it also tolerates slight shading. The primrose flower does not impose special requirements on the composition of the soil, but it is swampy and too wet areas he definitely doesn't fit. primrose tolerates drought much more easily than waterlogging. The optimal soil for evening primrose is light sandy soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0 pH.

In the photo: Growing evening primrose in the garden

Oslinnik biennial can be grown in seedlings: sow seeds in boxes at the end of February or at the beginning of March, wait for germination, and when the primrose seedlings get stronger, transplant it into holes located at a distance of 50-60 cm from each other.

If you do not want to grow seedlings, sow immediately in the flower garden. Evening primrose seeds are sown in moist soil before winter or in late April-early May, 2-3 pieces to a depth of 0.5-1 cm, maintaining a pattern of 30x30 cm. However you need to dig the area first on the average depth, with the introduction of two glasses of Nitrofoska and 3 kg of compost or humus for each m².

When seedlings appear, they are dived in 10 cm increments. Depending on what species and variety you are growing, you may need to do a few more thinnings so that each plant has sufficient area nutrition. In the first season, biennial and perennial primrose species form the root system and basal rosette of leaves, and flower stalks and flowers are formed for the next season.

Evening primrose care in the garden

Watering young evening primrose carried out once a week until it takes root, and mature plants need watering only during a prolonged drought. After watering or rain, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the bushes, while removing weeds.

If you did not add fertilizer to the soil when planting, it is advisable to carry out foliar in the spring top dressing evening primrose with a weak solution of mullein. If the soil was fertilized, then the mineral complex in the form of a solution is introduced into the soil at the site during the flowering of evening primrose.

In the photo: How evening primrose blooms

A mandatory procedure is to remove wilted flowers from the bushes: this measure will not only prolong flowering, but also prevent the propagation of evening primrose by self-sowing. root system some types of aspen, growing, give rise, and so that the roots of the plant do not spread, you need to dig into the soil around the flower garden to a depth of 25 cm limiters made of old slate or metal.

Donkeys degenerate quickly enough, therefore at the first sign of growth, the bushes should be dug up, divided and transplanted to another place. It is advisable to do this at least once every 3-4 years.

At the end of the season, the faded biennial evening primrose is disposed of, and the aerial part of the perennial is cut off. It is not necessary to cover perennial species for the winter, but if you expect severe frosts with a small amount of snow, cover the sockets with peat or compost.

Types and varieties of evening primrose

Aspen species grown in horticultural crops are divided into biennial and perennial. Biennials include:

Semishrub height from 30 to 80 cm with a powerful, highly branched stem, opposite dark green, entire, elongated-lanceolate leaves pointed to the top and four-petalled fragrant yellow flowers up to 7 cm in diameter.

In the photo: Drummond's evening primrose (Oenothera drummondii)

Biennial up to 120 cm high orange flowers. Most often, a variety of this species called Sunset Boulevard is grown in gardens: a bush with brick-orange flowers reaches 35-45 cm in height, and 15-25 cm in diameter.

In the photo: Multicolored evening primrose (Oenothera versicolor)

Or evening primrose, or enotera "night candle" - a plant with erect stems up to 120 cm high, covered with short hairs. Lanceolate, entire, rarely toothed, almost entire leaves can reach a length of 20 cm. This is a yellow evening primrose: its right flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, collected in terminal racemose inflorescences, painted in a lemon-yellow hue and open only in the evening or in cloudy weather. The most famous variety of the species: Evening dawn - a plant about 1 m high with fragrant golden flowers with a red tint.

In the photo: Oenothera biennis (Oenothera biennis)

A young plant up to 40 cm high with oblong, rarely serrated leaves along the edge and pink or white fragrant cup-shaped flowers up to 5 cm in diameter, collected in an apical few-flowered spike-shaped inflorescence.

In the photo: Beautiful evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa)

Or Oenothera Lamarck - a biennial plant of unknown origin, but it is likely that it appeared in the Old World as a result of a mutation. This is an upright, densely branched shrub up to 1 m high with smooth light green oval-lanceolate leaves and yellow flowers forming dense brushes. The plant has been cultivated since the 19th century.

In the photo: Oenothera erythrosepala (Oenothera erythrosepala)

From perennial species evening primroses in horticultural culture are grown as follows:

Or evening primrose, originating from south-central North America. Its ascending stems reach a height of 30-40 cm. Dense leaves can be oval or narrow-lanceolate. Fragrant single golden-yellow flowers up to 10 cm in diameter practically lie on the ground. This spectacular primrose has been in cultivation since 1811.

In the photo: Missouri Oenothera (Oenothera missouriensis)

Native to eastern North America. This undersized plant up to 25 cm tall with narrow-lanceolate leaves up to 1.5 cm wide and yellow flowers about 1.5 cm in diameter, collected in spikes. Cultivated since 1757.

In the photo: Perennial primrose (Oenothera perennis = Oenothera pumila)

Or evening primrose Fraser - view from the east of North America. Bushes up to 70 cm high with oval blue-green leaves, which acquire a reddish tint in autumn, are decorated with corymbose inflorescences of yellow fragrant flowers. by the most famous varieties are Sonnenwende (golden-yellow flowers), Friwerkeri (golden-yellow flowers, red stems and buds), Hoes Licht (canary-yellow flowers).

In the photo: Quadrangular oenothera (Oenothera tetragona)

Native to the east coast of North America. This is a semi-shrub species up to 120 cm high with dark green elongated oval leaves and fragrant yellow flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. This plant has been in cultivation since 1737.

In the photo: Shrub primrose (Oenothera fruticosa)

Evening primrose properties - harm and benefit

Useful properties of evening primrose

Oenothera has many useful properties, which are due to chemical composition. It contains saponins, carotenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolcarboxylic acids, polysaccharides, anthocyanins, mucus, polyterpenoids, a large number of vitamin C, as well as macro- and microelements calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, selenium and iron. The roots of the plant contain resins, sterols and reducing sugars. A decoction of aspen root is used in folk medicine for treatment colds and pulmonary tuberculosis.

most valuable drug is evening primrose oil, produced from the seeds of the plant. It consists of polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids and proteins. The high content of linolenic acid in evening primrose oil reduces the risk of blood clots in the vessels, has a beneficial effect on the body with cirrhosis of the liver, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic neuropathy. Evening primrose oil is added to preparations for diathesis and itchy ichthyosis.

Evening primrose preparations are used to treat arthritis, thrombosis, asthma, tumors and fungal diseases. An infusion of aspen leaves is used as an anticonvulsant, as well as for inflammation of the kidneys and cardiac neuralgia. This drug is a sedative and fixing agent, and when used externally, its antimicrobial effect is manifested.

In the photo: Evening primrose - a beautiful and useful flower

Evening evening primrose infusion for diarrhea: two teaspoons of crushed herbs are poured into a glass of boiling water, infused for 60 minutes, filtered and drunk in small portions throughout the day.

Evening primrose tincture with severe dehydration: one part of the crushed primrose grass is poured with four parts of alcohol, tightly sealed and infused in a dark, cool place for three weeks, shaking from time to time. Then the tincture is filtered and taken 20-30 drops three times a day.

Enotera - contraindications

The uncontrolled use of evening primrose is contraindicated, from which nausea, weakness and headache. Aspen preparations are not recommended for schizophrenics and epileptics. You can not combine them with epileptogenic drugs and phenothiazines.

Everyone who appreciates the beauty of the evening garden has seen bright yellow or pale pink flowers open instantly at dusk, as if flashing with small night lanterns in the hands of invisible tiny fairies - these were flowers opening in anticipation of the moonrise. primroses.

Description and features of evening primrose

Oenothera in the photo always looks beautiful, but no photo can convey all the charm of this unique flower. The plant belongs to big family Cypress and available for flower growers in different options:

annual;

biennial;

perennial.

Although many, when they first see a flower, notice the resemblance either to buttercups or to bathing suits, evening primrose, or as it is often called - night candle, has nothing to do with them.

Her homeland is the American continent, and to Europe primrose flower came in the 17th century and very quickly took its place in the gardens and in the hearts of gardeners.She has many names, in Britain evening primrose – evening rose, and in Russia she was nicknamed not quite poetically - an aspen.

Today, more than 80 varieties of this amazing flower are available for flower lovers, differing in size, color of inflorescences and life expectancy. Plant height ranges from 25 to 125 cm, depending on the variety. The stem also depends on the species - straight or creeping.

In bushy varieties, the trunk, shoots and leaves are pubescent, bright juicy green in color, with a glossy surface, becoming purple-brown or reddish by autumn. Although the plant is associated with bright yellow flowers, the colors of the petals can vary, usually found:

white;

pink;

blue;

red;

lemon;

yellow.

The diameter of each of the flowers collected in inflorescences is from 5 to 15 cm, so it is simply impossible not to notice them. Flowering time - from the beginning of summer, the first buds open in June evenings, at the beginning of autumn - the plant blooms until mid-September, not forgetting to form boxes with seeds.

Special in this flower, of course, is its flowering - buds bloom only at dusk or on very cloudy, gloomy days. When combined in the garden different varieties evening primrose can be reached amazing beauty in the night landscape.

However, in daytime, the flower does not lose its decorative value, thanks to the bright, lancet and gleaming leaves in the sun.

Planting and breeding evening primrose

Growing evening primrose does not require much effort. The flower is not capricious, can live in poor and dry soils and accepts all fertilizers, both organic and mineral.

A flower can be grown from seeds or cuttings, as the plant reproduces equally well both vegetatively and by seeds, but at the first encounter with it it is much more convenient to purchase and plant seedlings of evening primrose.

It is necessary to plant flower bushes in the spring, in the middle or at the end of May. When choosing a place for planting, strongly shaded areas should be avoided, a constant shadow will cause the flowers to be open in the daytime, that is, the daily life cycle plants.

It is also important that the place is not swampy, and, after rains, stagnant water does not form in it. Planting evening primrose, depending on the variety, it can be both autumn and spring.

The distance between planted bushes depends on the variety of flowers and ranges from 12 to 120 cm. When planting, you can apply any complex fertilizer for flowering plants, both organic and mineral.

However, when choosing a complex, it is worth considering the composition of the soil and acquiring a nutrient mixture with a composition that compensates for what is lacking in the ground.

cultivation evening primrose from seed can be done in two ways - sow hay in the fall, in October, or germinate them before spring planting. If spring planting is preferred, then seeds should be sown in containers 12-14 weeks before they should be in the open field.

evening primrose care

evening primrose care boils down to two main points:

removal of weeds;

soil moisture control.

The flower does not tolerate weeds or excess water. In itself, this plant is drought-resistant, in the case of evening primrose, it is better dry than damp. Watering the bushes is necessary only during a period of strong dry heat, in the evenings.

Evening primrose perennial and two-year-old - frost-resistant, calmly winter without any additional shelter. Flowers very well perceive any pruning, shaping, and so on, at any time they are ready for transplants.

In general, the plant is extremely unpretentious, and its cultivation is a real vacation for the grower. The only surprise that this “night” flower will bring is self-seeding, to which the plant has a very strong propensity.

If you do not collect its seeds, then in the spring you can easily encounter a fairly large number of fluffy bushes in the most unexpected places.

Types and varieties of evening primrose

There are a lot of varieties of these unique flowers available for growing in the garden. The most popular varieties include:

Oenothera Missouri

The most popular variety, with which most gardeners usually begin their acquaintance with "evening" flowers. A completely unpretentious plant, perennial with a height of 20 to 40 cm.

Flowers of rich pure yellow color, very large, resemble neat saucers, their diameter at favorable conditions is 10-12 cm, but never less than 5 cm.

evening dawn

This is a hybrid, with a lifespan of two years. Very tall bushes, the flower grows up to 2-2.5 meters, looks perfect both as the center of the composition and as a decorative cover for the fence.

Such evening primrose begins to bloom only in the second season, but it does it incredibly effectively. With the onset of twilight, the entire two-meter plant flashes with lightning speed with bright lights. The color of the petals is rich gold, sometimes red, with a tint of red or bright beautiful red edging.

Evening primrose

Very small, perennial. The height of the bushes ranges from 10-15 cm, it feels great in boxes on balconies and loggias. If you have a glazed or insulated balcony, you can not clean it for the winter. The flowers are lemon and pure deep yellow tones, large enough for such a baby - their diameter is from three to four centimeters.

Oenothera is beautiful

This - pink evening primrose, with very delicate color petals of large flowers, averaging 6 to 8 cm in diameter.

The height of the bush reaches 30-40 cm, it branches abundantly, it is extremely susceptible to attention due to haircuts that give shape. Perennial, blooms a little in the evenings earlier sorts with yellow flowers, fits perfectly into the compositional row of the evening garden, arranged according to the time of bud opening.

Evening primrose

The smallest of the whole family of night flowers. The growth of her bush is only 8-10 cm, it is incredibly beautiful in the rocky design of the flower garden. It has a unique bloom, even for night flowers.

In the late evening, already in perceptible darkness, it flashes with many snow-white flowers shining in the moonlight, and by morning, before dawn, the color changes - such a bush meets the dawn in delicate, almost transparent pink shades.

Oenothera Drummond

It is a perennial hybrid that is often mistaken for an annual. Perhaps the most decorative of evening primroses, often used to decorate Asian-style flower beds.

The stem of this flower is creeping, red-brown in color, in a stony design, the flower is very reminiscent of snakes crawling under the green leaves. The flowers are yellow, all shades of this color, medium in size, as a rule, the diameter is 4-6 cm.

Diseases and pests of evening primrose

The only thing that flowers can get sick from is an excess of moisture, stagnation of water in the soil. From excessive moisture, the roots of the flower rot, and it dies.

Also, the immunity of the plant does not affect snails, rather, on the contrary, the flowers seem to lure them. It is quite simple to deal with the dominance of slugs and snails, you need to treat the plant with special preparations sold in any garden supply store.

Evening primroses tolerate treatment with insecticides and fungicides quite calmly, but they do not like potassium permanganate solutions, after exposure to even very low concentrations, the leaves “demonstratively” curl up and fall off.

In favor of planting these night flowers in flower beds, in addition to their unique beauty, such a curious fact speaks - from seeds primroses receive butter by cold pressing. This product contains:

linoleic, arachodonic and linolenic polyunsaturated acids;

vitamin "E" in the active form of the compound alpha-tocopherol.

That is, the product has incredible value, both for home cosmetology and for use in health purposes. Evening primrose oil is a part of many drugs used in dermatology, gynecology, and is used to correct the hormonal balance in the body. In general, this is a completely “female” product.

When you first meet this flower, flower growers, as a rule, are attracted yellow evening primrose. However, it will be very good if there is an empty, unoccupied place around the very first perennial bush blooming with golden "saucers".

Rarely does anyone not fall in love with this flower, and if there is free territory around an already growing bush, it can be supplemented with other varieties and form a wonderful flower garden where you can arrange the most romantic nights under the light of the moon, surrounded by flowers fragrant with citrus aromas, which, by the way, still scare away blood-sucking insects and absolutely do not perceive the light of garden lamps.