Scientific:
Oenothera speciosa var. berlandieri (Synonym: Oenothera berlandieri)
Pronounciation: O-en-o-THER-a spee-ci-O-sa
Common: Showy evening primrose, Mexican evening primrose, pink ladies
Family: Onagraceae
Origin: Texas into Mexico
Hardiness zones
Sunset All zones
USDA All zones
Landscape Use: Dry landscape ground cover for large open, informal spaces, container plant, floral accent.
Form & Character: Low, prostrate and vigorously spreading, loose and aggressive, informal, festive when in bloom.
Growth Habit: Evergreen, herbaceous, broadleaf perennial subshrub, spreads aggressively by underground rhizomes and some above-ground stolons. Most active in growth during cooler weather of the year becoming quiescent during summer.
Foliage/Texture: Variable dark green with sometimes red margins of splotches, entire to pinntified; medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Solitary, axillary pink flowers to 2 inches across with nearly fused petals, fruit inconspicuous.
Seasonal Color: Pink flowers in the spring and fall.
Temperature: Tolerant, though vigor is suppressed by the heat of a Phoenix summer.
Light: Full sun best, will accept some shade though flowering will be less.
Soil: Tolerant to a range of soil pH. Performs better if soil has a sandy texture.
Watering: Infrequent watering during summer is needed or else this herbaceous plant will go dormant or die back. Drought or cold weather encourages red pigmentation in foliage.
Pruning: Shear or mow to ground during late summer to early fall.
Propagation: Seed, division, root cuttings.
Disease and Pests: Foliar bacterial spotting during wet periods or if overhead sprinkler irrigated.
Additional comments: This not so common ground cover is bright and cheery when in bloom, but can become invasive and pesky if allowed to spread without restraint. For best results, plant in a concrete restricted or constrained planter bed area. The cultivar 'Siskiyou Pink' is a profuse pink bloomer in the spring.
