Evening primrose (Oenothera), or primrose, or onager is a rhizome plant from the Cyprian family. There are about 150 different herbaceous plants and shrubs. Enotera is grown not only because of its decorative effect, but also because of its beneficial medicinal properties. Many different medicines are prepared from it, which are often used in traditional medicine. The rules for planting, growing and caring for evening primrose in the open field will be described in detail below.
Evening primrose flower description
Evening primrose can be either annual, biennial or perennial. The plant grows from 30 cm to 1.2 m in height. Stems rigidly pubescent, can be straight or creeping. The leaves are arranged alternately. They can be simple, serrated, whole-edged, pinnately dissected, or lobed. The flowers are large enough, about 8 cm in diameter. The petals are white, yellow, pink, purple, blue or red, very fragrant. Solitary, but sometimes they can be collected in a bunch or brush. Flowering begins in June and lasts until September. Flowers live only one day, then wither. The fruit is a box in which more than three thousand primrose seeds ripen.
Growing evening primrose from seeds
Two-year-old evening primrose can be grown in seedlings. To do this, it is necessary to plant seeds in containers with soil in the second half of February and the first decade of March. After the shoots appear, the seedlings will grow well and get stronger, one will be planted in open ground. The distance between plants should be 50-60 cm.
If you do not want to grow seedlings, then you can plant evening primrose seeds directly in open ground. It is necessary to plant before winter or in the second half of April or the first decade of May and exclusively in moist soil. You need to deepen the seeds by 1 cm, and the distance between them should be at least 30 cm. The soil for planting must be prepared in advance. It is necessary to carefully dig it up and apply organic fertilizers in the form of compost and humus. After the shoots appear, it is necessary to transplant them further from each other by another 10-15 cm. This will allow the plants to grow and develop well, without interfering with neighboring bushes.
Planting evening primrose in open ground
For planting evening primrose, it is best to choose a well-lit area of the garden, this will make the flowering more abundant and lasting. But the plant also tolerates a little shading well. As for the composition of the soil, any will do, since evening primrose is not picky about the soil. The main thing is not to plant the plant where the soil moisture is very high. Evening primrose does not tolerate waterlogging, such conditions are destructive for her. Therefore, it is best to plant a primrose in a well-permeable sandy soil.
In the first year after planting, biennial and perennial evening primrose species develop a root system and a basal rosette of leaves. But flowers and peduncles will begin to form only after a year.
Evening primrose care in the garden
Watering
Young plants need to be watered once every seven days, while older plants need watering only during a prolonged drought. After each watering or rain, it is necessary to thoroughly loosen the soil around the bushes and remove weeds.
Top dressing and fertilizers
If no fertilizers were applied to the soil during planting, then they must be applied in the spring. Mullein solution is excellent for spring feeding. A balanced complex of mineral fertilizers can be added to the soil fertilized during planting, but this should be done when the evening primrose is actively blooming.
Pruning
In order for the plant to bloom longer and more abundantly, and not to multiply by self-sowing, it is necessary to regularly remove inflorescences that have already stopped flowering and wilted. Annual and biennial evening primrose plants must be removed from the flower garden at the end of the season, and the aboveground part should be cut off for perennials.
Transfer
As for transplantation and division, this must be done every three years, since the primrose degenerates very quickly.
Limitation
Since the roots of the primrose grow strongly, it is imperative to install restraints around the flower bed where the flower grows. As a fence, dig one slate or some metal into the soil.
Wintering
Perennial evening primrose does not need shelter for the winter, but if a severe winter with little snow and very severe frosts is expected, then it is best to cover the plant with a thick layer of peat or compost.
Types and varieties of evening primrose
In the garden, biennial and perennial evening primrose species are most often grown.
Biennial species:
Oenothera drummondii - a highly branched shrub. It grows from 30 cm to 80 cm. The stem is powerful. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate, opposite, whole, pointed to the tips, dark green in color. The flowers are up to 7 cm in diameter, have four petals and an incredible yellow scent.
Common evening primrose (Oenothera versicolor) - a biennial plant that grows up to one hundred and twenty centimeters in height. Flowers are orange. The more popular variety of this type among gardeners is Sansent Boulevard. The bush of this variety grows 35-45 cm in height. The flowers have an orange-brick hue.
Biennial evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), evening evening primrose or evening evening primrose - The stems of this plant are erect and covered with short hairs. They grow up to 1.2 m in height. The foliage is whole, sparsely toothed, almost entire, has a lanceolate shape, grows up to 20 cm in length. The flowers of this plant can be up to 5 cm in diameter, bloom only in the evening or cloudy weather, bright yellow or lemon yellow. The most popular variety is Vechernyaya Zorya. Bushes of this variety grow up to 1 m in height. The flowers are golden yellow with a red tint and have a pleasant aroma.
Evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) - this youngster grows up to forty centimeters in height. Leaves are oblong and sparsely toothed. The flowers are cupped, up to 5 cm in diameter, white or pink in color, very fragrant.
Evening primrose (Oenothera erythrosepala), evening primrose Lamarck - biennial. The origin of this species is still a mystery. Strongly branching bush, straight stems. Grows up to 1 m in height. Leaves are oval-lanceolate, smooth, light green in color. Flowers are yellow, collected in dense brushes.
Perennial species:
Evening primrose (Oenothera missouriensis), large-fruited evening primrose - stems are ascending, grow from thirty to forty centimeters in height. Leaves can be oval or narrow-lanceolate. Flowers are solitary, have a pleasant aroma, up to 10 cm in diameter, golden yellow in color.
Evening primrose (Oenothera perennis, Oenothera pumila) - This species is considered to be undersized, as it grows only up to 25 cm in height. Leaves are narrow-lanceolate. The flowers are bright yellow, small in size, collected in spikelets.
Evening primrose (Oenothera tetragona), evening primrose Frazera - grows up to 70 cm in height.Leaves are oval, blue-green in summer and reddish in autumn. Flowers are yellow, collected in corymbose inflorescences. The most popular varieties: Sonnenwende (golden yellow flowers), Friverkeri (golden yellow flowers, stems and buds are red), Hoes Licht (canary yellow flowers).
Common evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa) - a semi-shrub plant growing up to 1.2 m in height. Leaves are elongated-oval and dark green in color. The flowers are medium-sized, yellow in color, very fragrant.
Evening primrose properties: harm and benefit
Evening primrose has a large number of useful properties, since it contains saponin, carotenoid, steroid, flavonoid, tannin, phenolcarboxylic acid, polysaccharide, anthocyanin, mucus, polyterpenoid, vitamin C in large quantities, as well as macro- and microelements calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, selenium and iron.
The roots of the plant also contain many beneficial substances. The donkey is one of the important ingredients in folk recipes that are aimed at treating colds and tuberculosis. In addition to the roots and stems of the plant, evening primrose seeds are of great value. They make oil, which contains a large amount of polyunsaturated and fatty acids, amino acids and proteins. Evening primrose seed oil helps fight blood clots in blood vessels, has a good effect on the body in case of liver diseases and eczema. It also helps to relieve diathesis and itchy ichthyosis.
Various preparations with the addition of evening primrose help fight arthritis, thrombosis, asthma, tumors and fungal diseases. Evening primrose tincture helps fight diarrhea and improves dehydration.
As for contraindications, they include the use of preparations containing evening primrose without control. Because of this, side effects in the form of headaches and nausea can begin. Evening primrose is also not recommended for people suffering from epilepsy and schizophrenia. Evening primrose should not be taken simultaneously with epileptogenic drugs and phenothiazines. It is necessary to take various means in which there is evening primrose only if there is evidence for this and only in the dosage that is necessary.
