- Botanical name: Oenothera fruticosa
- Other common names: Narrow-leaf evening primrose, southern sundrops
- Light: full sun, part shade
- Water needs: low, medium
- Soil: clay, loam, sand
- Height: 1 – 2 ft
- Bloom: April – August
- Sociability rating: 2
- Wildlife value: Hummingbirds, specialized bees (including Melissodes fimbriatus and Lasioglossum oenotherae), songbirds
Sundrops is an erect perennial with lance-shaped green leaves and bright yellow, four-petaled flowers up to 2 inches across. Unlike most evening primrose species, sundrops blooms during the day. Individual flowers are short-lived, but they appear in succession over a long bloom period from mid-spring through summer. The overwintering basal rosette is evergreen in our area.
This plant prefers moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun but tolerates some shade. It grows well in dry, sandy, or rocky conditions and handles heat, drought, and poor soils once established. Sundrops can spread by seed but isn’t terribly aggressive.
Works well in hot, dry sites like rock gardens, meadows, cottage gardens, and slopes. Also effective for erosion control on banks. Deer resistant. The flowers attract specialized native bees and hummingbirds, while songbirds feed on the club-shaped seed capsules. No serious pest or disease issues.
Sources: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/, https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/plantfindersearch.aspx
