The Tufted evening primrose is a perennial plant. The scientific name is Oenothera caespitosa Nutt. The Oenothera family has many species that bloom in the evening just as the name implies. Alternate common names include Evening primrose, Fragrant Evening Primrose,Rock Rose Evening Primrose, Stemless Primrose, Gumbo Lily and White Stemless Evening Primrose. The Tufted evening primrose grows throughout the state of Arizona. They grow from an elevation of 4500 to 7500 feet.
The blooms of the Tufted evening primrose are large white flowers. They have four heart shaped petals and eight yellow stamens. These blooms can grow up to three inches in width. They have a marvelous fragrance. The blooms opens late in the day and turns gradually to pink. They wilt the following morning.The Tufted evening primrose can grow up to one foot in height. It grows from a thick taproot and it is nearly stemless. The flower blooms from the month of April to the month of September.The flowers attract large night flying insects such as the hawk moth. Only insects with long tongues can reach the nectar that collects in the base of the plant’s floral tube. Hawk moths have long coiled tongues that are perfect for drinking the nectar.
The fruit of the Tufted evening primrose are seedpods and are about one inch long. These form soon after the plant blooms. The leaves are gray to green in color and have a fuzzy coating.These leaves form a basal (a leaf that grows from the lowest part of the stem) rosette and are lance shaped and toothed. The stem of the plant is very short.
The Tufted evening primrose grows in rocky sandy soils that are well drained. They can be found in shadscale (a species of evergreen) scrub communities and pinyon (pine) juniper woodlands. They are often found on dry slopes, and roadsides that have been developed.
The plant reproduces through seed production. The seedling have high vigor. The plant cannot survive at temperatures lower than -13 degrees. It is drought resistant. The Tufted evening primrose makes a perfect plant for western gardens since it is quite showy and beautiful, grows well in poor soils and requires little water. It can be found as a potted plant or grown from seeds. It will bloom all summer long with only moderate watering. It does however require good drainage as the plant rots in heavy soils with too much moisture.
