Oenothera fruticosa 'SONNENWENDE'

Evening primrose is a large genus of many annuals, biennials, and most importantly perennials from sunny and hot landscapes of North America, S.W. USA, and Mexico. A lot of perennial species are hardy enough for C.E. climate, too, they just resent water-logged soils. In our country mostly yellow flowering species are cultivated, especially appreciated for their evening performance of fast flower opening which happens just before your eyes and takes some 5-10 minutes. Still, there are some which flower during the day owing to which the name evening primrose was changed to sundrops.

Sonnenwende (Solstice) is a sundrops variety with large, rich yellow flowers from early to late summer. They are saucer-shaped and appear atop and along 60-80 cm tall stems whose upper parts are maroon red, contrasting greatly with the flowers. Leaves are narrowly lance-shaped to elliptic, medium green.

Sundrops likes common garden soil, not too dry, not too wet, but preferably moist and fertile – in poor soil its flowering is quickly over. Fully sun only. Hardy to about -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 18-06-2020